A large male Pseudochromis colei. This represents the first known individual since its redescription in 2012, and doubles up as the first individual offered to the aquarium trade. Photo credit: Lemon TYK.
The subfamily Pseudochrominae (family Pseudochromidae) boasts colorful small to medium sized, reef associated fish. Of the ten genera nestled within this subfamily, Pseudochromis is the most speciose, and perhaps the most familiar amongst divers and aquarists. And of the seventy or so species, not all readily fall into the acquaintance of the enthusiastic reefer, and at least a third or more are either extremely rare or elusive. One such fish fulfilling this status is Pseudochromis colei, which, until the turn of this century, was known only from one specimen. Pseudochromis colei superficially resembles P. perspicillatus in appearance, but the former can be diagnosed by having a black lateral stripe that is always disconnected from the dorsum. Present within this stripe is a series of gilded crosshatch stitches. The posterior ventral region is extensively slated in a dulcet rosy wash with oblique scratchings in a darker hue. In P. perspicillatus, these markings are absent, and the black lateral stripe often invades the head and dorsal fin base.
Pseudochromis colei. Note the gold cross-stitching within the black lateral stripe and the rosy wash on the posterior venter. Photo credit: Lemon TYK.
The handsome Pseudochromis colei was first known and described in 1933, from a single holotype collected in Culion, Philippines. It’s live coloration was unknown then, and the species proved highly elusive, remaining unseen for the next seventy years. It was later redescribed in 2012 on the basis of two additional specimens collected by Gerry Allen and Mark Erdmann in Palawan, Philippines. The redescription paper also included descriptions of two new Pseudochromis, now known as P. eichleri and P. ammeri. To date, Pseudochromis colei is known only from the type series of three specimens from Culion and adjacent Palawan.
A juvenile Pseudochromis colei. Note the faint markings characteristic of the adults. Photo credit: Lemon TYK.
In the recent weeks, RVS Fish World collected three specimens from their substation in Palawan, of which two were juveniles. The reappearance of this species since 2012 brings the underestimated total number of documented individuals to six, with the first records of P. colei in its juvenile coloration. The juveniles are similar in appearance to the adults, but lack the diagnostic rose wash and the emarginate caudal fin.… More:
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