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News Stories from June 2008
New tetra described from eastern Brazil -- A new species of tetra related to the rosy tetra has been described from eastern Brazil. The description of the new species, named Hyphessobrycon khardinae by German scientist Axel Zarske, is published in the latest issue of the journal Vertebrate Zoology. New catfish described from Madagascar -- A new species of catfish has been described from northeastern Madagascar in the latest issue of the journal Copeia. The new catfish, named Gogo atratus by Heok Hee Ng, John Sparks and Paul Loiselle, is known from the lower reaches of the Mananara du Nord River drainage in the northeastern highlands of Madagascar. New species of aplocheiloid killifish described -- Brazilian killifish expert Wilson Costa has named a new species of aplocheiloid killifish from central Brazil in a recent issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. The new species, named Rivulus formosensis is a member of the subgenus Melanorivulus. Third species of Dicrossus described -- German scientists have described a third species of checkerboard cichlid (Dicrossus) from Colombia. Ingo Schindler and Wolfgang Staeck describe the new species as Dicrossus gladicauda in the latest issue of the journal Vertebrate Zoology. New species of killifish described -- The new species is named Rivulus giarettai, after the herpetologist Ary Giaretta, who was the first to collect the new species, by Wilson Costa in a recent issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. Reverse evolution occurs in some small fishes -- Scientists from the USA and Japan have shown that evolution can occur very rapidly in reverse in some small fishes in a study published in the most recent issue of the journal Current Biology. 380 million year old fossil fish is oldest known livebearer -- Australian scientists have discovered a remarkably well-preserved 380 million year old fossil fish that represents the oldest known live bearing vertebrate. The fossil, identified as a new genus and species of placoderm fish, represents a pregnant adult female with embryo inside its body cavity, connected by what strongly resembles an umbilical cord. New species of gudgeon described -- Scientists from the Czech Republic, Russia, Slovakia and Turkey have described a new species of gudgeon from the Volga River drainage in Russia. The new species is named Gobio volgensis (after the Volga River) in a study of the molecular phylogeny of the gudgeons (genus Gobio) by Jan Mendel and co-authors published in the latest issue of the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. Two new Rineloricaria plecos described -- Two new plecos in the genus Rineloricaria have been described by Brazilian scientists in the latest issue of the journal Copeia. Mónica Rodriguez and Roberto Reis describe Rineloricaria malabarbai and R. baliola in a taxonomic review of the Rineloricaria from the Laguna dos Patos drainage in southern Brazil. New Australoheros cichlid described -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of cichlid in the genus Australoheros from southeastern Brazil. The description of Australoheros ribeirae by Felipe Ottoni, Osvaldo Oyakawa and Wilson Costa is published in the most recent issue of the journal Vertebrate Zoology. New dwarf cichlid named after cichlid biologist -- A new species of dwarf cichlid from northern Peru has been named after famous cichlid biologist George Barlow. The new species, Apistogramma barlowi, was described by German scientists Uwe Römer and Ingo Hahn in the latest issue of the journal Vetebrate Zoology. Two new species of darter tetra described -- Brazilian scientists have described two new species of darter tetra from eastern Brazil. The two new species are named Characidium nupelia and C. xavante by Weferson da Graça, Carla Pavanelli, and Paulo Buckup in the most recent issue of the journal Copeia. New heptapterid catfish described -- Scientists from Brazil and Argentina have described a new species of heptapterid catfish from northeastern Argentina. The new species is named Rhamdella cainguae in a paper published by Flávio Bockmann and Amalia Miquelarena in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. New Slingjaw wrasse described -- Scientists from the USA have described a second species of Slingjaw wrasse, naming it Epibulus brevis in the latest issue of the journal Copeia. New killifish genus and species described -- The taxonomy of the South American killifish genus Leptolebias has been the subject of a detailed study by Brazilian killifish expert Wilson Costa. Three Neoplecostomus described from Brazil -- Scientists from Brazil have described three new species of the loricariid catfish genus Neoplecostomus from the upper Paraná River drainage in southern Brazil. Prior to this study by Cláudio Zawadzki, Carla Pavanelli and Francisco Langeani published in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa, only one species of Neoplecostomus, N. paranensis, was known from upper Paraná River drainage. New cave catfish discovered in Brazil -- A new species of cave trichomycterid catfish has been described from central Brazil by Brazilian catfish experts Maria Bichuette and Eleonora Trajano. The new species, named Ituglanis mambai, is described from a cave in the Mambaí karst area in Goiás State, Central Brazil in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. New anostomid named Leporinus venerei -- A new species of Leporinus tetra has been described from central Brazil by Brazilian scientists in the most recent issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. New ray named Potamotrygon boesemani -- A new species of spotted freshwater stingray has been described from the Corantijn River drainage in Suriname. Ricardo Rosa, Marcelo de Carvalho and Cristiane de Almeida Wanderley name the new stingray Potamotrygon boesemani after the late Dutch ichthyologist Marinus Boeseman for his contribution to South American ichthyology in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. Two Trimma gobies described -- Japanese scientists have described two new species of the gobiid genus Trimma from southern Japan. Named Trimma kudoi and T. yanoi by Toshiyuki Suzuki and Hiroshi Senou, the descriptions of the two new species are published in a recent supplemental issue of the Bulletin of the National Museum of Nature and Science Series A. Zoology. New project maps freshwater biodiversity -- The world’s first comprehensive database of almost all of the world’s freshwater habitats has been compiled. The ‘Freshwater Ecoregions of the World’ (FEOW) is a collaborative project between the World Wildlife Fund and The Nature Conservancy, and has taken over a decade to complete. Albino ray goes on display -- An unusual albino ray is to go on display at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth. The locally caught fish is believed to be the first albino ray to be found in British waters, with its lack of camouflage making it a wonder it has survived predation. The fish is currently in quarantine in the aquarium before it is moved out into one of the displays. Environmentalists sue over fish disease -- Environmentalists in the United States have started legal proceedings against governmental agencies for doing little to prevent the spread of a disease which is deadly to fish throughout the Great Lakes. News Stories from May 2008
Breeder produces Clown loach hybrids -- A professional fish breeder from Russia claims to have produced artificial hybrids of the Clown and Yo-Yo loach. Oleg Mihajlov from Ivanovo in Russia made the news in March 2008 when he became the first person to document the artificial reproduction and rearing of the Clown loach, Chromobotia macracanthus. Fish ice cream, anyone? -- At this time of the year, people’s minds start turning to ice cream, but maybe not this type; food scientists in India have developed an ice cream made from 'fish'. The Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) in Kochi, Kerala have developed the new ice cream known as ‘maricream’ using cooked cuttlefish (a cephalopod), egg, water, sugar, butter and a compliment of emulsifiers, stabilisers and flavourings. Flying fish flies into record books -- A TV crew working off southern Japan has filmed the longest recorded flight by a flying fish. According to a report from the BBC, which shows the footage on its website, the flying fish was filmed by a film crew from NHK off Yakushima Island and shows the fish completely airborne for 45 seconds. The longest previously recorded flight was 42 seconds and was recorded by an American researcher in the 1920s. The footage shows the flying fish gliding alongside a ferry, which was travelling around 20 mph, and periodically using its tail to get airborne again. New darter tetra discovered -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of darter tetra in the genus Characidium from southern Brazil. The new species is named Characidium heirmostigmata by Weferson da Graça and Carla Pavanelli in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. Three catfish named from Central America -- The taxonomy of species of the Central American marine catfish genus Cathorops has been revised and three new species described. Publishing the revision in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology, Alexandre Marceniuk and Ricardo Betancur describe Cathorops belizensis from mangrove areas in Belize, C. higuchii from shallow coastal areas and coastal rivers in the cantral American Caribbean and C. kailolae from the Usumacincta River and Lake Izabal drainages in Mexico and Guatemala. New marine catfish described -- Japanese scientists have described a new species of marine eeltail catfish in the genus Plotosus from southern Japan. Naming the new catfish Plotosus japonicus, Tetsuo Yoshino and Hirokazu Kishimoto have published the description in a recent supplemental issue of the Bulletin of the National Museum of Nature and Science Series A. Zoology. New catfish described from Brazil -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of big-headed trichomycterid catfish in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. Catfish experts Wolmar Wosiacki and Mário de Pinna name the new species Trichomycterus igobi after a mythological character of the Tupi-Guarani Indian legend about the origin of the Iguaçu waterfalls (where this species is found). New catfish discovered in Myanmar -- A new bagrid catfish has been described from the upper Irrawaddy River drainage in northern Myanmar. The description of the new species, named Batasio procerus by Heok Hee Ng, is published in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. New scorpionfish described -- A new species of the scorpionfish has been described from the Izu Peninsula on the Pacific coast of Japan. The new species, named Scorpaena brevispina by Japanese scorpionfish experts Hiroyuki Motomura and Hiroshi Senou in the most recent volume of the Journal of Fish Biology, is described based on a single specimen, collected off the east coast of the Izu peninsula, at a depth of 45m, in 1982. Three new Amphilophus cichlids named -- American scientists have described three new species belonging to the Midas cichlid (Amphilophus citrinellum) species complex from Lake Apoyo in southwestern Nicaragua. Male cichlid colour linked to parasite load -- Scientists have found that the intensity of colour in a male cichlid fish is an indicator of its parasite load (the number of parasites an individual is carrying) and that such parasite-mediated sexual selection may have led to the divergence of two species of Lake Victoria cichlids. News Stories from April 2008
Swiss legislation to affect aquarium hobby -- New animal protection legislation is to come into effect in Switzerland from 1st September 2008. Fish are to be protected under the new legislation for the first time, following the Swiss government’s acceptance of studies showing that, like other animals, fish do suffer. Other animals covered under the new legislation are to include dogs, cats, cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, guinea pigs, lizards and rhinoceroses. Under the new legislation, aquariums in Switzerland must not be transparent on all sides, and minimum aquarium and pond size restrictions will be put in place for any fish over the size of 20cm. Amazon molly defies evolution -- Scientists have shown that a fish species that has been alive for up to 100,000 years without sex and producing only female young is defying the power of evolution by avoiding extinction. The study on the Amazon molly Poecilia formosa by Laurence Loewe and Dunja Lamatsch at Edinburgh University used a complex mathematical computer model to show that based on the theory of the evolution of sex this species should have gone extinct at some point in the last 70,000 years. The Amazon Molly is a small female-only freshwater fish (3-7 cm) found in a limited range from south-east Texas through to Mexico. New Great Barrier Reef Exhibit Opens May 16, 2008 -- The Toronto Zoo will offer visitors a newly refurbished Australasia Pavilion featuring the much anticipated NEW Great Barrier Reef Exhibit. New marine exhibits have been built to feature the beautiful and enchanting Great Barrier Reef, one of the Wonders of the World and a World Heritage Site. The centerpiece of this exhibit is the Great Barrier Reef Community Tank. Over 23 feet in length (7m) and 32,000 litres, it offers over 1,000 reef fish such as Bamboo Shark, Parrot and Angel Fish all set within a colourful coral reef display. Also new to the Zoo will be a Moon Jelly Fish, Australian Sea Horse and live Coral Reef Exhibits. Colossal Squid Thaw to Be Webcast Live -- Marine scientists in New Zealand on Tuesday were thawing the corpse of the largest squid ever caught to try to unlock the secrets of one of the ocean's most mysterious beasts. Australia Shark Count Breaking Records -- Australians apparently have a good chance of spotting a shark in the wild, since a new project called the Great Australia Shark Count has thus far determined at least 4,022 sharks swim in waters surrounding the land down under. Shark Attack Kills San Diego Man -- A shark on Friday attacked and killed a 66-year-old swimmer who was training in the ocean off San Diego County with a group of triathletes, authorities said. The man was attacked by what authorities believe was a great white shark at Tide Beach around 7 a.m., authorities said. Narwhals Threatened by Polar Melt -- The polar bear has become an icon of global warming vulnerability, but a new study found an Arctic mammal that may be even more at risk to climate change: the narwhal. The narwhal, a whale with a long spiral tusk that inspired the myth of the unicorn, edged out the polar bear for the ranking of most potentially vulnerable in a climate change risk analysis of Arctic marine mammals. No cause for concern over dead fish: MNR -- Dead fish carcasses have again surfaced on area shores, but the Ministry of Natural Resources assures residents there's no cause for concern. "At this point it's a reasonable conclusion that this is nothing more than a winter fish kill, which is a completely natural phenomenon," said Jamie Prentice, acting information officer for the Ministry of Natural Resources' Peterborough District Office (MNR). "It's environmentally driven and it's certainly no cause for concern." Time's running out for tuna -- Tuna stocks in the Pacific are running out due to overfishing from illegal and commercial fishing fleets. About 60 percent of the world’s tuna stocks come from the Pacific, and scientists believe that two key species, bigeye and yellowfin, are in danger of becoming overfished. Turtle rescued from life of drugs -- A turtle that was involved in the drugs trade has been given a new crime-free life at the New England Aquarium in Boston, USA. Fluffy, a 45 lb Alligator snapping turtle, Macrochelys temminckii, was previously a guard for a New York drug dealer, who used the turtle to protect his stash of illegal drugs. Researchers track Australian sharks -- Researchers are tracking over 50 vulnerable sharks on Australia’s southern coast to assess the conservation value of restricted fishing zones. Study describes Leptobotia loach spawning behaviour -- Scientists have published a study describing the spawning behaviour of an endangered species of loach from the genus Leptobotia. The Kissing loach, Leptobotia curta, a member of the botiid loach subfamily Botiinae, is found in Lake Biwa in Japan and is considered to be an endangered species. Pesticides make fish less attractive to females -- Mexican scientists have found that male goodeid fishes exposed to insecticides before birth are less attractive to females in later life. Octopus has sophisticated sex life -- Octopuses lead interesting sex lives replete with stalking, passionate groping, and sneaky males, according to a study published in the most recent issue of the journal Marine Biology. Puffer fish kills eight and hospitalises 170 -- In the past week suspected puffer fish poisoning has been responsible for killing eight people and hospitalising over 170 more. The eight deaths occurred in Bangladesh in the Narsingdi district where 38 people, including a fishmonger, were affected after eating what locals call potka fish. Nuclear plants kill billions of fish, says scientist -- Nuclear power plants in Britain kill billions of fish each year, according to a recent report by a scientist from Oxford University. Peter Henderson, an environmental researcher, has compiled data that suggests that damage to Britain's marine fish stocks caused by coastal power plants using cooling systems that draw water from the sea is more severe than previously thought. Divers discover possible new fish family -- A psychedelically striped peach and tan fish with a flat face and arm-like fins that enable it to crawl into crevices may belong to a new family of anglerfishes (also known as frogfishes). The owners of a commercial dive company were the first to spot the unusual fish in the waters of Ambon Island in Indonesia. Seahorse population discovered in Thames -- A population of seahorses have recently been found living in an area of the Thames between Essex and Kent. Zoological Society of London (ZSL) scientists found the Short-snouted seahorses, Hippocampus hippocampus, during routine wildlife monitoring in 2006 but kept the details secret as they were waiting for legislation to be put into place to protect them. Nuked coral reef recovers -- Scientists have found out that coral reefs recover astonishingly well 50 years after being nuked. In a study published in a recent issue of the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, Zoe Richards, Maria Beger, Silvia Pinca and Carden Wallace surveyed the corals living in Bikini Atoll in the Central Pacific about 50 years after the last nuclear tests were conducted there. Global warming affecting coral microbes -- The litany of woe continues for coral reefs, with microbiologists now identifying a new threat to their survival, the bacteria that live on them. New tetra described from Venezuela -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of Hyphessobrycon tetra from Venezuela with hooks on the anal-fin rays of adult males in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. The new tetra is named, Hyphessobrycon otrynus. Surfer killed in fatal shark attack -- Australia saw its first fatal shark attack in over two years last week. UK's Biota super aquarium just three years away -- The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Whipsnade zoo are currently working on what promises to be one of the world’s largest and most unique aquariums. ‘Biota!’ an 80 million pound project is being built in the London docklands at Silvertown Quays and will open in 2011. Mbuna use sound to recognise mates -- Interspecific mate recognition among Lake Malawi cichlids of the Pseudotropheus zebra species complex is not mediated by sight alone, but also by sound, according to a study published by scientists from Portugal and the UK in the most recent issue of the Journal of Fish Biology. Study reveals spawning habits of Arapaima -- The details of the spawning habitat of the pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) have been studied in a recent paper published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Fish Biology New cyprinid named Garra findolabium -- Chinese scientists have described a new cyprinid species belonging to the genus Garra from the Red River drainage in southern China. Rachovia stellifer killifish placed in new Llanolebias genus -- A new genus has been erected for the South American annual killifish species Rachovia stellifer based on morphological and molecular evidence. New catfish threatened by dam project -- A new species of loricariid catfish whose long-term survival may be threatened has been described from the Orinoco River drainage in Venezuela. The new species, named Pseudancistrus reus, could be under threat from a recently-constructed dam that has already flooded its type locality. New Triplophysa loach described -- Chinese scientists have described a new species of nemacheilid loach in the genus Triplophysa. The description of the new species, named Triplophysa lixianensis by Chunlin He, Zhaobin Song and E Zhang, is published in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. Cyprinid taxonomy in state of confusion -- The intrafamilial classification of the largest freshwater fish family in the world, the Cyprinidae, continues to be in a state of confusion, according to a recent study based on a phylogenetic analysis of the family using a nuclear gene for the first time. Study reveals spawning habits of mountain stream tetra -- While many tropical freshwater fishes spawn during periods of flood associated with rainy seasons, there are some fishes that are exceptions to the rule and spawn only during dry seasons. One such species is Creagrutus guanes, a small tetra inhabiting mountain streams of the Magdalena River drainage in Colombia New killifish named from Tocatins basin -- A new species of South American killifish that lacks pelvic fins has been described from central Brazil by Wilson Costa and Gilberto Brasil in the latest issue of the journal Copeia. The new species is named Rivulus planaltinus, from the Portuguese name for the county where the type locality is located (Planaltina means from the high plains), and is a member of the Melanorivulus subgenus. Two Thicklip thornycats named -- Scientists from USA and Venezuela have described two new species of thicklip thorny catfishes of the genus Rhinodoras. Publishing the descriptions in the latest issue of the journal Copeia, Mark Sabaj, Donald Taphorn and Otto Castillo have named the two new species Rhinodoras armbrusteri and Rhinodoras gallagheri. New Tanganyikan catfish described -- A new species of claroteid catfish has been described from Lake Tanganyika in the latest issue of the journal Copeia. Named Chrysichthys acsiorum after the All Catfish Species Inventory (ACSI, a research initiative to catalogue and describe the catfishes of the world) by Michael Hardman, the new species is known only from the type locality, at a depth of approximately 30 metres in Lake Tanganyika, near the village of Kajaga in Burundi. Rabbitfish keep reef algae down -- Australian scientists have found an unlikely saviour to help keep coral reefs from being overrun by algae: the rabbitfish. In a study to be published in the journal Coral Reefs, Rebecca Fox and David Bellwood of James Cook University used a series of seagrass and macroalgal assays to test the intensity of herbivory across a reef gradient in a study site on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Child hospitalised after drinking fish medication -- A toddler has been treated in hospital after drinking a commercially available product for treating aquarium fish parasites. The three-year old girl drank up to two ounces of Wardley Ick Away, a medication based on 0.075% malachite green, which is designed for treating whitespot and fungus on aquarium fishes. Circus slaves rescued from piranha tank act -- Police have closed down a circus in Southern Italy after two teenage Bulgarian girls were forced to swim with piranhas in front of a paying audience. New miniature bagrid catfish described from southern Borneo -- Its description as Nanobagrus immaculatus by Heok Hee Ng of the National University of Singapore has been published in the most recent issue of the journal Copeia. Woman killed by leaping eagle ray -- A woman has been killed by a leaping ray in a bizarre accident off the Florida Keys. The Spotted eagle ray, Aetobatus narinari, collided with Judy Kay Zagorski, of Michigan, while she was aboard a boat with her family. Four new Australoheros cichlids described -- A recent review of the chanchito cichlids of the Uruguay and Paraná river drainages in Argentina, southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay has recognised eight species, four of which are described as new. Australoheros facetus, A. kaaygua, A. scitulus, and A. tembe are the four species recognized, with an additional four species described as new: A. charrua, A. forquilha, A. guarani and A. minuano. News Stories from March 2008
Fishkeeper successfully breeds Clown loach -- A Russian fishkeeper has reported a successful spawning of the Clown loach, Chromobotia macracanthus. Mihajlov Oleg from Ivanovo, Russia, bred his Clown loaches last month and currently has hundreds of five-week old fry which have now started to take on adult colouration. However, unlike previously documented spawnings, Oleg bred his fish completely artificially. Sharks can predict weather -- Don’t trust the weather reports on television? Then start looking to the seas. A study in Scotland has shown that sharks have a well developed ability to sense changes in pressure. Two new cyprinids described from Malawi -- South African scientists Denis Tweddle and Paul Skelton have described two new species of cyprinids from Malawi. The descriptions of the two new large barbs, ‘Barbus’ seymouri and Labeobarbus nthuwa, are published in the latest issue of Smithiana Bulletin. Both new species are described from the South Rukuru River, which flows into Lake Malawi. Two new Oreonectes loaches described -- Chinese scientists recognize six species of the nemacheilid loach Oreonectes, two of which are described as new, in a recent review of the genus. Oreonectes anophthalmus (from Guizhou Province in southern China), O. furcocaudalis (from Guangxi Province in southern China), O. platycephalus (from southern China and northern Vietnam) and O. retrodorsalis (from Guangxi Province in southern China) are the four described species recognised as valid in this study. The two new species described from Guangxi Province in southern China are Oreonectes microphthalmus and O. polystigmus. Arowana become popular pet of super rich -- Forget oil and diamonds, the next big thing in South East Asia is fish. Dragon fish or arowana, such as Scleropages formosus, are one of the most popular fish kept in Asia. Believed by those of Chinese origin to resemble a dragon and to symbolise good luck, health, prosperity, family harmony and protection against evil, suppliers of these fish have given some specimens price tags of many tens of thousands of pounds. While these fish may be disappearing in the wild, their popularity amongst Asia’s richest is ever increasing. Slaty leaf fish described -- The Slaty leaf fish from northeast India that has been showing up in the aquarium trade recently has been formally described as Nandus andrewi. Reef development independent of coral diversity -- In a study published in a recent issue of the journal Science, Kenneth Johnson, Jeremy Jackson and Ann Budd compared changes in coral diversity and reef development within the tropical western Atlantic over the past 28 million years using new and published fossil and stratigraphic data. Even though coral diversity on Indo-Pacific reefs is 10 times higher than on Caribbean reefs, the rates of carbonate production and reef growth are similar. Reef specialists decline when corals suffer -- Scientists have confirmed that reef specialists suffer more when corals decline by studying damselfishes (pomacentrids) in the Great Barrier Reef. Tubesnout fish lays eggs in sea squirts -- Japanese scientists have observed and described the unusual breeding behaviour of the Japanese tubesnout (Aulichthys japonicus), a species that conceals its eggs in ascidians (sea squirts) after copulation. Tinfoil barbs caught in Portuguese waters -- Portuguese scientists have documented the first ever occurrence of the Tinfoil barb, Barbonymus schwanenfeldii, on the Iberian Peninsula. New tetra described from Rio Paraná -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of tetra, named Hemigrammus parana, from the Paraná River drainage in southeastern Brazil. Popular Bee shrimps get scientific names -- Chinese scientists have formally named some of the bee shrimps that have been in the aquarium trade for some time. The descriptions of four new species of the atyid shrimp Caridina were published in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa by Liqing Wang, Xiangqiu Liang and Fan Li: Caridina maculata, C. meridionalis, C. tumida and C. venusta. Sand dollars clone themselves when they sense danger -- Scientists from North America have discovered that some animals can clone themselves to escape a potential attack by fish predators. Dawn Vaughn and Richard Strathmann from the University of Washington found that four day old larval Sand dollars (Dendraster excentricus) would produce clones within 24 hours of being exposed to fish mucus, the cue to a potential predator. Six-armed hexapus on display -- Staff at Blackpool Sealife Centre have found what they claim is a world first - a six legged Octopus. The octopus - a Lesser, Northern or Curled octopus, Eledone cirrhosa was found in a lobster pot off the coast of Anglesey a few weeks ago and was taken to Blackpool for their new ‘Suckers’ exhibition. It was only when he attached himself to the glass of the tank that staff noticed the lack of two limbs. Staff have christened the octopus ‘Henry the Hexapus’. Undercover survey reveals aquarium retailer filter cycling advice -- Around 96% of aquatic retailers in the UK recommend cycling methods which could expose fish to harmful nitrogenous pollutants, an undercover survey has revealed. New Stiphodon goby described from Sumatra -- Goby expert Ronald Watson has described a new species of freshwater goby, named Stiphodon carisa, from southern Sumatra. Dominant Neolamprologus pulcher control breeding -- Dominant females can play an important part in controlling breeding in social fish a study by Canadian scientists has found. The study focussed on the social cichlid from Lake Tanganyika, Neolamprologus pulcher. This species of cichlid is unusual in that it lives in relatively large permanent groups of up to 20 individuals. Plenty more fish in the North Sea -- There are now more species of fishes in the North Sea, due to global warming, according to a study published in the journal Global Change Biology. Territory quality causes cichlid to be less picky with mates -- Some female cichlids value territory quality so much that they are willing to mate with males of a different species, a recent study published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology has found. Peter Dijkstra, Els van der Zee and Ton Groothuis studied the mating preferences of female Pundamilia nyereri, a Lake Victoria haplochromine cichlid. Mbuna most aggressive to lookalikes -- Male mbuna display more aggression towards similarly coloured fish, according to a study published in the most recent issue of the journal Biology Letters. Reef fish drawn to feeding grounds by algal cue -- American scientists have found that a chemical responsible for the smell of the sea is also the substance which some reef fishes use to home in on feeding grounds. Deadly fish virus found in imported goldfish -- The deadly fish disease Spring Viraemia of Carp (SVC) has been discovered in imports of goldfish brought into the UK from a Hong Kong aquarium fish supplier. Agricultural activity makes male bass develop eggs -- A recent study in America has found that male fish may develop female characteristics in areas of increased agricultural activity. Researchers at the National Fish Health Research Laboratory found increased levels of intersex in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the Potomac River, Virginia. Sand gobies eat slow-developing eggs so they can breed again -- Male sand gobies are likely to cannibalize slower developing eggs they are guarding so that they spend less time taking care of the brood and can mate again, according to a study by scientists in Finland published in the most recent issue of the journal Biology Letters. Amorous introduced guppies harassing native Skiffia for sex -- Non-native guppies (Poecilia reticulata) are endangering the long-term survival of the native Mexican livebearer Skiffia bilineata by sexually harassing them, according to a study published in the most recent issue of the journal Biology Letters. Four hillstream catfishes described from China -- Chinese scientists have described four new species of rheophilic sisorid catfishes from southern China. The four new species named are Pseudecheneis brachyura and P. gracilis from the upper Irrawaddy River drainage, and P. longipectoralis and P. paucipunctata from the upper Salween River drainage. New hillstream catfish discovered -- A new species of hillstream catfish with a wrinkled chin has been described from river drainages in western Thailand and southeastern Myanmar. The new species is a member of the Asian hillstream catfish family Sisoridae and has been named Glyptothorax rugimentum. Serenading females leaves electric knifefishes drained -- Electrically serenading female electric knifefishes is energetically expensive for the males, according to a study published in a recent issue of the Journal of Experimental Biology. Fishing leads to shy fish -- Scientists from Australia and Canada have found that fishing constitutes a human-driven evolutionary pressure that selects against fast-growing, bold fishes. Picky eating by Chevron butterfly may be its downfall -- The picky diet of the Chevron butterflyfish (Chaetodon trifascialis) may threaten the survival of this species, according to a study to be published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. Global threat to marine biodiversity by invasive species assessed -- A recent review of marine invasive species confirms earlier assessments that international shipping, followed by aquaculture represent the major means of introduction. Arapaima form continuous population says study -- A study of the population genetic structure of the pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) in the Amazon basin has found that genetic exchange among pirarucu populations along the Amazon River drainage is significantly restricted at distances greater than 2,500 km. New Pimelodus catfish described -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of Pimelodus catfish, named Pimelodus pantaneiro, from the upper Paraguay River drainage in central Brazil. News Stories from February 2008
Butterflyfish may go extinct -- A beautiful black, white and yellow butterflyfish, much admired by eco-tourists, divers and aquarium keepers alike, may be at risk of extinction, scientists have warned. The case of the Chevroned Butterflyfish is a stark example of how human pressure on the world’s coral reefs is confronting certain species with ‘blind alleys’ from which they may be unable to escape, says Dr Morgan Pratchett of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University. "T. Rex of the Ocean" Found in Arctic -- Dubbed the "the Monster," this newly identified fossil predator is one of the largest marine reptiles ever found, scientists announced today. The 50-foot-long (15-meter-long) "sea monster" was excavated last summer on Norway's Arctic island of Spitsbergen. Danio and two new loaches discovered in Western Ghats -- Scientists from India have discovered three fish in the Western Ghats, Karnataka, India, which they believe to be undescribed. The three fishes - a Danio, a Schistura and a Mesonemacheilus loach - were discovered from the Western Ghats region of Karnataka by Dr PK Pramod, the State Coordinator of Ornamental Fish Development at Mangalore's Marine Products Export Development Authority. More sharks to be added to Red List -- Nine species of shark are to be added to the IUCN red list when it is revised in October, joining the 126 shark species already listed. Two new Rivulus killies named -- Killifish expert Wilson Costa has described two new species of Rivulus from the upper Paraguay River drainage in central Brazil. The two new species, named Rivulus bororo and Rivulus paresi, belong to the subgenus Melanorivulus and are described in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. Salmon farming killing off wild salmon -- Salmon farming is slowly killing off wild salmon, according to a recent study by Canadian scientists. Study unravels Cichlasomatini relationships -- Scientists from the Czech Republic have conducted the first comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the South American cichlid tribe Cichlasomatini, publishing their results in the latest issue of the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. Hybrid inviability did not drive cichlid speciation -- Hybrid inviability is not likely to have led to speciation or to maintain species boundaries in some Lake Victoria cichlids, according to recent research. The research is published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Evolutionary Biology by Inke van der Sluijs, Tom van Dooren, Ole Seehausen and Jacques van Alphen. Fish with weak ears less successful on reefs -- Reef fish larvae require symmetrical ears to ensure successful navigating from open waters back to the reef, according to the results of a new study. Monica Gagliano, Martial Depczynski, Stephen Simpson and James Moore studied the damselfish Pomacentrus amboinensis, a common and abundant species on the Great Barrier Reef. Endangered fish live in hydrogen sulphide pools -- Scientists have characterised the habitat of two rare and endangered poeciliid fishes from Mexico that are known only from sulphidic habitats. New Rivulus killi named -- Yet another new species of rivulid killifish in the subgenus Melanorivulus has been described, this time from the Paraná River drainage in central Brazil. Wilson Costa named the new species Rivulus faucireticulatus in the latest issue of Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. Wild type carp could be wiped out -- Scientists from Japan have discovered that the native strain of the wild carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Japan is in danger of extirpation via large-scale introductions of domesticated strains from Eurasia. Indian killifish placed at bottom of evolutionary family tree -- New research on the phylogeny of cyprinidontiform fishes, soon to be published in the Journal Zoologica Scripta, suggests that the Indian Killifish genus Aplocheilus is the sister group to all other cyprinidontiform fishes. Competition led to colour polymorphism in Lake Victoria cichlid -- Competition among female cichlids has led to colour polymorphism among Neochromis omnicaeruleus from Lake Victoria, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. New Benthochromis described from Lake Tanganyika -- A new species of Benthochromis cichlid from Lake Tanganyika has been described by Tetsumi Takahashi of Kyoto University. The new species, named Benthochromis horii, in honour of the first person to recognise its status as a distinct species (Michio Hori), is described in the latest issue of the Journal of Fish Biology. New Rasbora described from eastern Borneo -- Noted Swiss ichthyologist Maurice Kottelat has described a new species of Rasbora from Tarakan Island, off the eastern coast of Borneo. The description of the new species, named Rasbora dies, is published in the latest issue of Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. Two Chromaphyosemion killifishes described -- Two new species of Chromaphyosemion killifishes have been described from the coastal plain of Equatorial Guinea in west central Africa by Rainer Sonnenberg. The two new species are named Chromaphyosemion ecucuense and Chromaphyosemion erythron in the latest issue of Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. Fish invasions study shows human impact -- Human activity is most responsible for the propagation of alien fish species, according to a recent study. The study was conducted by Belgian, Canadian and French scientists Fabien Leprieur, Olivier Beauchard, Simon Blanchet, Thierry Oberdorff, and Sébastien Brosse and was published in the journal PLoS Biology. Pacu important in dispersal of plant seeds -- Bigger is better when it comes to fish acting as seed dispersers, according to the results of a recent study. Mauro Galetti, Camila Donatti, Marco Pizo and Henrique Giacomini studied the role of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) in acting as the dispersal agent for the palm Bactris glaucescens. Visitors film shark eating shark at public aquarium -- Visitors to the Mall of America's Underwater Adventures Aquarium have filmed a nine foot Sand tiger shark attempting to swallow another shark. Video footage of the shark attack, which has been posted on the video sharing websites YouTube and LiveLeak, shows the 9'/2.74m long 300lb/136kg Sand tiger shark attempting to swallow a 4.5'/1.37m White tip reef shark. DNA evidence suggests Barramundi is two species -- Australian scientists have found evidence for a second species of barramundi or Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) using DNA barcoding. Four cardinals described in Nectamia study -- A recent study of the cardinalfish genus Nectamia from the Indo-Pacific region recognizes nine species, four of which are described as new. Larval life affects survival of adult Bluehead wrasse -- The ability of a reef fish to survive in the long term is determined by the amount of adversity it faces as a larva, according to a study published in the most recent issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study by Scott Hamilton, James Regetz, and Robert Warner focused on the Bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum) living in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. News Stories from January 2008
Queensland floodwaters threaten Great Barrier Reef -- Queensland floodwaters are causing concern as they approach the Great Barrier Reef. Scientists from James Cook University, the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Natural Resources are meeting at the flooded Fitzroy River to assess the situation. It is feared that sediment and chemical run-off from farmland and mining sites could threaten corals on the reef. Swimmers' Sunscreen Killing Off Coral -- The sunscreen that you dutifully slather on before a swim on the beach may be protecting your body but a new study finds that the chemicals are also killing coral reefs worldwide. Four commonly found sunscreen ingredients can awaken dormant viruses in the symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside reef-building coral species. Antarctic Marine Census Trip Begins -- U.S., New Zealand, and Italian marine scientists have begun a two-month voyage to Antarctica's northern coast as part of an ongoing study of worldwide marine biodiversity. New killi named Rivulus kayabi -- A new species of Rivulus killifish has been described from the Tapajós River drainage in central Brazil. Killifish expert Wilson Costa named the new species Rivulus kayabi in the most recent issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. Predators affect killifish reproduction -- A study on killifish in Trinidad has shown that the effects of predators on prey reaches far beyond the simple fact of just killing them. The ecological impacts of predation have long been established but very few studies have looked at the evolutionary consequences. Nest entrance size matters to blenny -- Entrance size is an important factor for males of the western Pacific blenny species Rhabdoblennius ellipes when choosing a nest cavity. Study highlights migrations in undescribed Arapaima -- The lateral migration an undescribed species of Arapaima has been studied in a paper published in the most recent issue of the journal Ecology of Freshwater Fish. Study reveals local specialists in endangered fish populations -- Japanese scientists have found that common fish species may be composed of sub-populations of specialists adapted to specific narrow niches in local conditions and that these sub-populations are vulnerable to local extinction. New freshwater sand goby named -- Scientists from the UK and the Czech Republic have described a new species of freshwater sand-goby from the Morac (a River drainage in southern Montenegro. The new goby is named Potamischus montengrensis by Peter Miller and Radek Šanda in the latest issue of the Journal of Fish Biology. New Gorogobius described -- A second species of goby in the genus Gorogobius has been described from the São Tomé Islands in the Gulf of Guinea. Marcelo Kovai and Ulrich Schliewen name the new species Gorogobius stevcici in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. When Barracudas Attack: Swift and Sharp -- The great barracuda deserves its fearsome reputation, suggests a new study on its predatory ways. The toothy fish tackles large prey, the study's authors report, by impaling its victim with sharp fangs and then slicing it in half, scissor-style. Endangered Turtle Makes Record 647-Day Journey -- A leatherback sea turtle recently completed the longest recorded migration of any sea vertebrate: 12,774 miles (20,558 kilometers) across the Pacific Ocean. The journey, tracked by satellite, provides the first record of a trans-Pacific migration by a leatherback. Unusual new Danio-like fish discovered -- Aquarium hobbyists in India have reported a highly-unusual Danio-like species on sale. The strikingly coloured fish appears to be a new member of the Danio genus. Silvery John Dory caught in Mediterranean -- Italian scientists have documented the first ever occurrence of Zenopsis conchifera in the Mediterranean Sea. Though common in the eastern central Atlantic, Zenopsis conchifera, commonly referred to as the Silvery John dory, Sailfin dory or Buckler dory, was previously undocumented from the Mediterranean Sea. Tube-eye fish placed in new order -- Japanese and American scientists have created a new order for the strange deep-sea tube-eye fish, Stylephorus chordatus. The new order, named Stylephoriformes, was created based on new evidence about the phylogenetic position of S. chordatus obtained from DNA sequence data, in a study published in the most recent volume of Ichthyological Research. New Pseudomystus catfish named -- A new species of bumblebee catfish has been described in the latest issue of the journal Zootaxa. Kelvin Lim and Heok Hee Ng have named the catfish from central Sumatra, Pseudomystus heokhuii, after Heok Hui Tan, who brought the attention of the fish to the authors. Study shows reef fish colour vision -- A study published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Experimental Biology has shown that coral reef fish are capable of colour vision. Fish ladders harm migrating fish -- Fish ladders built into hydroelectric dams in South America can harm, rather than aid, migrating fish, a study to be published in the journal Conservation Biology revealed. Celestial Pearl danio renamed Danio margaritatus -- Scientists have suggested changing the scientific name of the Celestial Pearl danio to Danio margaritatus, after further study suggested it did not warrant a genus of its own. Vaquita porpoise being driven to extinction by humans -- The vaquita, a rare porpoise restricted to the northern Gulf of California, could very soon join the baiji as another cetacean species driven to extinction by humans, according recent studies. The plight of the vaquita (Phocoena sinus), also known as the Gulf of California porpoise, was highlighted in a recent issue of the journal Conservation Biology by Armando Jaramillo-Legorreta, Lorenzo Rojas-Bracho, Robert Brownell, Andrew Read, Randall Reeves, Katherine Ralls and Barbara Taylor. Octopus befriends Mr Potato Head -- An octopus at the Blue Reef Aquarium, Newquay, has grown quite attached to a Mr Potato Head toy. The 18-month-old Giant Pacific octopus, named Louis, was given the children’s toy by the aquarium staff as part of an enrichment program, and it has since become a firm favourite. Aquarium curator Matt Slater told BBC News that "its bright colours, strange shape and moveable parts make it fascinating for Louis." Swimbladder structure suggests relationship between halfbeaks -- The discovery of a highly unusual swimbladder structure in two different groups of halfbeak fishes has provided evidence to suggest that the genera are closely related. Starfish threaten the Coral Triangle -- A group of reefs known as the “Coral Triangle” are under threat from an outbreak of Crown of Thorns Starfish. The Wildlife Conservation Society and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies conducted surveys on the Coral Triangle, a name given to the coral reefs located in the Sulu and Sulawesi seas between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. UK's largest ever illegal coral seizure -- Illegal corals valued at £50,000 have been seized from Manchester Airport in the UK's largest ever seizure of CITES listed corals destined for the aquarium trade. The corals, which are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) were discovered in an air freight consignment at Manchester Airport and had been shipped to the UK from Malaysia. Goblin shark biology revealed -- New information on the biology of the bizarre Goblin shark has been revealed in a recent study by Japanese researchers. The study, published in the most recent edition of Ichthyological Research, examined 171 specimens of the Goblin shark, Mitsukurina owstoni, collected off the Pacific coast of Japan over a 30-year period. Two new dwarf snakeheads described -- Two new species of dwarf snakehead have been described from Myanmar. The new species, which are unusually colourful for snakeheads, have been named Channa ornatipinnis and C. pulchra by snakehead expert Dr Ralf Britz, of the Natural History Museum, London. Corals decline where humans thrive -- Corals decline where humans thrive, according to a study to be published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. The study by Camilo Mora of Dalhousie Uiversity in Canada, used a large-scale database on the status of coral reef communities in the Caribbean (consisting of 322 sites in 13 countries). Hyphessobrycon rutiliflavidus described from Mato Grosso -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of tetra from the upper Paraguai River drainage. The new characid was named Hyphessobrycon rutiliflavidus in a recent issue of Zootaxa by Fernando Carvalho, Francisco Langeani, Carlos Miyazawa and Waldo Troy. New moray eel described -- A new species of moray eel has been described from the Red Sea in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. The new species was named Gymnothorax baranesi by David Smith, Eran Brokovich and Shai Einbinder. Study reveals new killifish egg structures -- Researchers in Brazil have discovered structures on the surface of the eggs of killifish never documented before. D. Fava and M. Toldeo-Piza from the University of São Paolo in Brazil, studied 19 species of Simpsonichthys killifish gathered from areas throughout South America including Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay and Argentina. Using scanning electron microscopy they discovered that each species of fish features unique features on the surface of the eggs. Coralline algae will suffer as oceans acidify -- Corals are not the only reef organisms to suffer directly from increased ocean acidification, according to a study to be published in the journal Nature Geoscience. Ilsa Kuffner, Andreas Andersson, Paul Jokiel, Ku'ulei Rodgers and Fred Mackenzie carried out a seven-week experiment examining the effects of increased ocean acidification on crustose coralline algae, a group of calcifying algae that is important in many shallow water habitats, including coral reefs. Report highlights Indonesia's illegal freshwater turtle trade -- Growing demand for tortoises and freshwater turtles by exotic pet owners is fuelling rampant illegal trade in the pet markets of Indonesia, according to a report from the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC. Investigators from TRAFFIC surveyed pet markets in Jakarta and found 48 species of freshwater turtle and tortoise on sale, the majority of which had been obtained illegally. Corals spread south as oceans warm -- Corals along the western coast of Australia may head south as water temperatures rise, a new study suggests. Scientists Benjamin Greenstein and John Pandolfi predict that global warming could trigger the diverse array of corals found in warmer, northern waters to spread and inhabit cooler waters in the south, currently home to just a small range of species. Great Barrier Reef coral cover could drop below 10% by 2098 -- Recent predictions suggest that coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef could be reduced to less than 10% within the next 90 years. Dr. Eric Wolanski of James Cook University believes that the state of the Barrier Reef between Lizard Island and Bowen has been declining since the European settlement of Australia. However, rather than global warming causing this decline, Wolankski has suggested that “right now, the problem is a land-use problem, which we can correct.”. Five marine damselfishes described -- Five species of damselfishes of the genus Chromis, all collected from deep (more than 60 m) coral reef habitats in the western Pacific, are among the first new fish species to be described in 2008. The descriptions of Chromis abyssus, C. brevirostris, C. circumaurea, C. degruyi and C. earina by Richard Pyle, John Earle and Brian Greene are published in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. New Lake Victoria cichlid described -- A new species of Haplochromis has been named after the Father of Modern Taxonomy, Carolus Linnaeus (or Carl von Linné), by Dutch scientists. The description of Haplochromis vonlinnei from Lake Victoria is published in the latest issue of the journal Zoologische Mededelingen by Martien van Oijen and Marnix de Zeeuw. Study reveals Colomesus puffer diet -- Scientists have studied the diet of a Brazilian brackish water puffer fish, revealing new information on the feeding ecology of the species. Experts at the Center for Tropical Marine Ecology at Bremen, Germany, caught 102 Colomesus psittacus in intertidal mangrove creeks near Braganca, northern Brazil and analysed their gut contents. Their findings, which were published recently in the Brazilian Journal of Biology, show that the species is a specialised predator of barnacles and fiddler crabs. New Halichoeres named Mardi Gras wrasse -- A new species of wrasse has been described from the western Gulf of Mexico in the latest issue of the journal Copeia. The new species is named the Mardi Gras wrasse (Halichoeres burekae) by Douglas Weaver and Luiz Rocha. Reintroduced conserved fishes susceptible to parasites -- A study published in the most recent issue of the journal Conservation Biology has found problems associated with the ex situ conservation of fishes. Using the guppy (Poecilia reticulata) as a model, Cock van Oosterhout, Alan Smith, Bernd Hänfling, Indar Ramnarine, Ryan Mohammed and Joanne Cable studied the effects of inbreeding and susceptibility of captive-bred fish to parasite infestation upon reintroduction to the wild. New Pareiorhaphis plecostomus described -- Scientists from Brazil have described a new species of sexually dimorphic loricariid catfish from southeastern Brazil. The description of the new species, named Pareiorhaphis nasuta by Edson Pereira, Fábio Vieira and Roberto Reis, is published in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. New Hypostomus described from southern Brazil -- A new species of Hypostomus catfish has been described from southern Brazil in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. The new species, named Hypostomus multidens by Fernando Jerep, Oscar Shibatta and Cláudio Zawadzki, is distinguished from most other Hypostomus catfish in having a colour pattern of light spots on a dark background. Miniature Acestridium loricariid described -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of miniature loricariid catfish from the eastern Amazon River drainage. The new species is named Acestridium triplax by Mónica Rodriguez and Roberto Reis in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. Two pike cichlids described -- The descriptions of two new species of pike cichlid have been published in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. Carlos de Lucena has named the two new species from the upper Uruguay River drainage Crenicichla hadrostigma and C. empheres; both species are considered to belong to the C. missioneira species-group. Farmed Pacific salmon invade Atlantic -- A study published in a recent issue of the journal Conservation Biology has confirmed that introduced Pacific salmon are successfully invading the Atlantic. Simpsonichthys killifish revised -- A revision of the South American killifish genus Simpsonichthys published in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa recognizes 50 species. The study by Wilson Costa describes the 50 valid species in five subgenera. Sticklebacks use prawns to guide them to food -- Scientists from the University of Leicester and the University of Sydney have shown that Three-spined sticklebacks are capable of using common prawns as a guide to optimal foraging spots. Sea Cucumber protein used to inhibit development Of Malaria parasite -- Scientists have genetically engineered a mosquito to release a sea-cucumber protein into its gut which impairs the development of malaria parasites, according to new research. New Stigmatopora pipefish described -- Australian scientists have described a new species of pipefish in the seas off southern Australia. The new species is named Stigmatopora narinosa by Robert Browne and Kevin Smith in the latest issue of the Memoirs of Museum Victoria. News Stories from December 2007
10-acre artificial reef proposed for Hawaii -- The barren seafloor off the coast of 'Ewa could become home to coral and other marine life if an artificial reef project is approved. The proposed 108-acre artificial reef is a massive expansion of the 1.1-acre reef replacement required for developer Haseko's permit to build the Ocean Pointe Marina. Nile perch population explosion studied -- The colonisation of Lake Victoria by Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and the consequent decline of the haplochromine fishes in the lake has been elucidated in a study published in the most recent issue of the journal Environmental Biology of Fishes. Global warming and acidification threaten coral survival -- Global warming and increasing acidification of marine waters threaten the long-term survival of coral reefs, according to a review published in the most recent issue of the journal Science. Bears control age of salmon -- The rate of predation by brown bears (Ursus arctos) on sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) drives the aging rate of the salmon, a recent study by scientists from the University of Washington and McGill University found. Two dwarf suckermouth catfishes named -- Brazilian scientists have described two new species of miniature loricariid catfish in the genus Hisontous. The descriptions of the two species, named Hisonotus chromodontus and Hisonotus luteofrenatus by Heraldo Britski and Julio Garavello, are published in the most recent issue of the Brazilian Journal of Biology. Swordtails turn off when turned on -- Female swordtails down regulate, or turn off, certain genes and up regulate, or turn on, others when interacting with male fish, according to a recent study by scientists from the USA. Governor's Request Keeps Manatee in Endangered Class -- Governor Charlie Crist spoke out for manatee conservation, and Wednesday the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded by giving the manatee a reprieve. The commission voted to defer a decision about reclassifying the state's remaining manatees from endangered to threatened. Cichlid urine advertises dominance -- A new study has demonstrated that male tilapia cichlids use urinary odours to advertise their dominance within hierarchies. The study, carried out at the University of Algarve, was based on the Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, a maternal mouth-brooding cichlid found in freshwaters along the coast of East Africa. New shrimpgoby described -- Scientists have described a new species of shrimpgoby from Indonesian island of Flores. The new species, named Tomiyamichthys tanyspilus, is described by John Randall and I-Shiung Chen in the most recent issue of the journal Zoological Studies. New Batasio described -- A new species of Batasio catfish has been described from southern Myanmar and the identities of two other members of the genus have been clarified in a study published in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. New electric knifefish discovered -- A new species of electric knifefish, Gymnotus chimarrao, has been described from southern Brazil. Endangered turtle may be last remaining -- The baiji (Lipotes vexillifer) may not be the only aquatic vertebrate from the Yangtze River that has gone extinct in recent times. This dubious distinction may be shared by the Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle (sometimes known as the Shanghai soft-shell turtle and known in Chinese as the Banbie, Rafetus swinhoei). Electric currents may be saving coral reefs in Bali -- Just a few years ago, the lush coral reefs off Bali island were dying out, bleached by rising temperatures, blasted by dynamite fishing and poisoned by cyanide. Now they are coming back, thanks to an unlikely remedy: electricity. Flooding triggered piranha evolution -- Biologists have discovered that present day species of piranha have evolved as a result of the Atlantic ocean flooding the Amazon plain five million years ago. 40% of Med's sharks and rays at risk -- A review of the sharks and rays in the Mediterranean has shown that over 40% are at risk, making this group one of the most threatened populations in the world. New date for speciation of Malawi cichlids -- Scientists have found new evidence for the date of the event that may have caused the explosive speciation of Lake Malawi cichlids. Blue marlin uses bill to slash prey -- A recent study published in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Research by Japanese scientists have confirmed that the Blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) uses its bill to attack prey. Fangblenny changes colour to mimic prey -- Australian scientists - Karen Cheney, Alexandra Grutter and Justin Marshall - have proven that the Bluestriped fangblenny, an aggressive mimic of the juvenile Cleaner wrasse is able to adopt mimic colours depending on the availability of cleaner fish. News Stories from November 2007
Do Brook trout have personalities? -- Not all fish behave the same, according to a study published in a recent issue of the journal Animal Behaviour. The study by Canadian scientists Alexander Wilson and Robert McLaughlin assessed whether the search tactics used by newly hatched Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) represent behavioural syndromes. Goldfish urine advertises readiness to mate -- Researchers at the University of Minnesota have demonstrated that goldfish can advertise their reproductive condition through pheromones released in their urine. New Astyanax described from Argentina -- Scientists from Argentina have described a new species of Astyanax, named Astyanax puka, from the Salí River drainage in northwestern Argentina. Whalers depart Japan -- The Japanese government whaling fleet has departed its home port of Shimonoseki, for its biggest hunt since the moratorium on commercial whaling came into being over twenty years ago. The fleet intends to kill more than 1,000 whales while in the Southern Ocean, including 50 endangered fin whales, 50 threatened humpback whales and 935 minke whales. Jellyfish devastate salmon farm -- The only salmon (Salmo salar) farm in Northern Ireland has been devastated following a series of jellyfish plagues that have wiped out more than a quarter of a million fish in two incidents. Soap chemical affects fish shoaling -- Scientists have found that a common pollutant, 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), is capable of disrupting the ability of fishes to school. Model assesses Chrondrichthyan extinction risk -- A study by Canadian scientists published in the most recent issue of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences has shown that there is a relationship between habitat, life history and extinction risk in chondrichthyans (sharks, rays and chimaeras). New Lepidolamprologus is an aggressive mimic -- Scientists from the USA, Japan and South Africa have described a new species of Lepidiolamprologus from Lake Tanganyika that practices aggressive mimicry. The new species, named Lepidiolamprologus mimicus, is known from the Zambian (southern) coast of Lake Tanganyika. Giant sea scorpion is bigger than a man -- Scientists in Germany have discovered a giant sea scorpion a massive 2.5 metres in length that's been extinct for several million years. Researchers at the University of Bristol discovered the fossilised 45 cm long chelicerae – pointed mouthparts used to grab food- in Prüm, Germany in what is thought to be the remains of either a brackish lagoon or a flood plain lake. New Brazilian tetra named -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of Moenkhausia tetra from central Brazil. The new species, named Moenkhausia cosmops by Flávio Lima, Heraldo Britski and Francisco Machado, is described in the latest issue of the journal Aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology. Whale lost up the Amazon dies -- Efforts to free a lost whale that strayed into the heart of the Amazon River have come to an end now that it has died. The 12-tonne Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) had been found in the Tapajos River (a tributary of the Amazon River) near the city of Santarem in Brazil, some 1300 km upriver from the sea. Salinity holds back invasiveness of mosquitofish -- A new study has shown that the invasive success of mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki, can be limited by the salinity of the water. Scientists uncover mudskipper spawning mystery -- Mudskippers brood their eggs in air-filled burrows but submerge them in water when they are ready to hatch, a new study on the amphibious fish has shown. Cichlid egg-spot gene found -- German scientists have revealed a gene with a key responsibility in the success of haplochromine cichlid breeding. New Orleans Aquarium denied funding for restocking -- The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, in New Orleans, has been denied the funding needed to re-stock following damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. Emperor of Japan distressed after introducing fish -- The Emperor of Japan has expressed contrition over the his role in introducing the Bluegill sunfish into Japan, where it is now threatening native fishes. Four out of five marine fish already described by scientists -- According to a recent paper to be published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, scientists have described four out of five of the world's marine fishes. New freshwater stingray described from Myanmar -- A new genus and species of freshwater stingray has been described from Myanmar. The new stingray, named Makararaja chindwinensis, is described from the Chindwin River (a tributary of the Irrawaddy River in northern Myanmar) in a paper by Tyson Roberts published in a recent issue of the Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society. Knifefish is energy efficient -- Scientists have developed a new computer based model which can help predict the strategies that animals will use to catch their prey using the Black ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons) as their subject. New dogtooth characin named -- A new species of dogtooth characin has been described from the Xingu River drainage (a southern tributary of the Amazon River) by a Brazilian scientist. The description of the new species, Cynopotamus xinguano, is published by Naércio Menezes in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. Prawns feel pain says research -- Chefs who prepare crustaceans by dropping them into boiling water while alive might now be feeling guilty, as scientists have provided evidence to suggest that invertebrates, such as prawns, can feel pain. One in three European freshwater fish threatened -- About one in three European freshwater fish species are threatened with extinction, according to the most authoritative study of European freshwater fish biodiversity to date, which has just been published in a book. Parrotfishes a key to reef stability -- New research has revealed that parrotfish may be the key to maintaining the stability of coral reef habitats and preventing them from transforming into a stable macroalgal-dominated condition following disturbance. New parrotfish described -- Scientists from Thailand and the USA have described a new species of parrotfish from the eastern Indian Ocean. The description of the new species, named Scarus maculipinna, is published in a paper by Mark Westneat, Ukkrit Satapoomin and John Randall in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. New goby named after Emperor -- A new genus of goby from the South Pacific has been named after the Emperor of Japan. The new genus and species is named Akihito vanuatu, with the genus named after Emperor Akihito of Japan and the species named after the island nation of Vanuatu, on which the goby is found. News Stories from October 2007
Arowana seized in London raid -- A shipment of sub-adult arowana has been seized during a raid at a property in east London. According to a report from the BBC, officers found 11 arowana, which it says are worth up to £2000 each. New dwarf suckermouth catfish named -- Argentinian and German scientists have described a new species of miniature loricariid catfish. The new species, named Hisonotus hungy, is described in the latest issue of the Revue Suisse de Zoologie by Maria Azpelicueta, Adriana Almirón, Jorge Casciotta and Stefan Koerber. British fishkeeper spawns Clown loach -- A British fishkeeper has provided photographic evidence for one of the first documented captive spawnings of the Clown loach, Chromobotia macracanthus. British company exports giant Koi -- A British aquatic retailer has exported the largest Koi ever to leave Japan. Rainbow Koi in Wiltshire, paid an undisclosed sum to a Japanese breeder for the fish - named Big Girl - which is 120cm/4' long and weighs 41kg/90lbs. Neolamprologus brichardi and N. pulcher are same species -- Scientists have found evidence that the Lake Tanganyikan cichlids Neolamprologus brichardi and N. pulcher are actually one and the same species. Scientists Spot New Marine Species -- A swimming sea cucumber, a Nemo-like orange fish and a worm with tentacles sprouting from its head are among dozens of possible new species found during a survey of the Celebes Sea, researchers said. Fish sleep and experience insomnia -- New research from sleep scientists has shown that, contrary to popular belief, and despite their lack of eyelids, fish do sleep and some even suffer from insomnia. Two Neolamprologus described -- Two new rift lake cichlids belonging to the genus Neolamprologus have been described from Lake Tanganyika. The descriptions of the new species, named Neolamprologus walteri and N. chitambwebwai, are published in a paper written by Piet Verburg and Roger Bills in the latest issue of the journal Zootaxa. New dottyback mimics damsel -- A new species of dottyback has been described from coastal waters off western New Guinea. The description of the new species, named Manonichthys jamali by Gerald Allen and Mark Erdmann, is published in the most recent issue of the journal Zoological Studies. New Venezuelan tetra -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of tetra from Venezuela. The description of the new species, Hemigrammus taphorni, is published in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. New akysid catfish is a mimic -- Akysis pulvinatus, named by Heok Hee Ng, is described from the upper Tapi River drainage and hillstreams flowing into the Andaman Sea on the western half of the Isthmus of Kra in southern Thailand. Stunning Emperor botia gets name -- The fish recently imported as the Emperor botia has been named. The description by Heok Hee Ng is published in the latest issue of the journal Zootaxa and names the species Botia udomritthiruji. Fish 'poisoned' at public aquarium -- An act of deliberate poisoning has been suspected following the deaths of over 500 fish at a public aquarium in northern Malaysia. A large section of Langkawi Underwater World has been closed as a police investigation gets underway. Fishing ban protects largest coral reef in the Philippines -- Reef fish and other marine species can breathe easier with the introduction of a fishing ban around Apo Reef, the largest coral reef in the Philippines and the second largest contiguous reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef. Under the ban, all extractive activities, such as fishing, and coral collection and harvesting, will be completely forbidden. Convict and Jack Dempsey placed in new genera -- New cichlid genera have been erected for both the Convict cichlid and the Jack Dempsey. This was done as part of a recent revision of the central American cichlid genus Archocentrus, with two new, closely-related genera (Amatitlania and Rocio) and six new species (three of Amatitlania, two of Rocio and one of Cryptoheros) described as a result. Protecting cod and coral off eastern Canada -- Decisions made at a meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization will help cod recover and protect vulnerable cold-water corals off the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador. News Stories from September 2007
Rivulus killifish described from Brazil -- A new South American killifish in the genus Rivulus has been described. The description of Rivulus illuminatus is published by Wilson Costa in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. Three new killifish described -- German killifish expert Rainer Sonnenberg has described three new species of nothobranchiid killifish from the coastal plains of Cameroon. The descriptions of the three new species, named Chromaphysemion koungueense, C. omega and C. melinoeides, are published in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. Catfish and characin feed together -- Scientists from Brazil have discovered an unusual feeding association between a small loricariid catfish (Parotocinclus maculicauda) and an undescribed species of darter tetra (Characidium sp.). Loreto Panda Corydoras named ortegai -- A new species of Corydoras catfish has been described from the Putumayo River in Peru. The new species is named Corydoras ortegai and its description by Marcelo Britto, Flávio Lima and Max Hidalgo is published in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. New Pimelodus catfish discovered -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of pimelodid catfish from the Paraná River drainage in southern Brazil. Julio Garavello and Oscar Shibatta describe the new species as Pimelodus britskii in a paper in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. Propimelodus described from Araguaia drainage -- A new pimelodid catfish has been described from the Araguaia River drainage in Brazil. The description of new species, Propimelodus araguayae, by Marcelo Rocha, Renildo de Oliveira and Lúcia Rapp Py-Daniel is published in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. New plec named Hypostomus chrysostiktos -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of loricariid catfish in the genus Hypostomus from northeastern Brazil. The result, a description of Hypostomus chrysostiktos by José Birindelli, Angela Zanata and Flávio Lima, is published in the most recent issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. New Moenkhausia tetra named -- A new species of tetra in the genus Moenkhausia has been described from northeastern Brazil. The description of Moenkhausia diamantina has been described in a paper by Ricardo Benine, Ricardo Castro and Alexandre Santos published in the most recent issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. New red tetra discovered in Brazil -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of Hyphessobrycon tetra from eastern Brazil. The description of the new tetra, named Hyphessobrycon vinaceus, is published in a paper by Vinicius Bertaco, Luiz Malabarba and Jorge Dergam in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. New giant tetra described from Brazil -- A new species of giant tetra in the genus Salminus has been described from eastern and northeastern Brazil. Publishing their results in the latest issue of the journal Neotropical Ichthyology, Flávio Lima and Heraldo Britski have named the tetra, Salminus franciscanus, after the Saõ Francisco, the river drainage to which the new species is endemic. New Hemibrycon tetra from Peru -- Brazilian and Peruvian scientists have described a new Hemibrycon tetra from the Ucayali River drainage in Peru. The description of the new species, Hemibrycon divisorensis, is published in the latest issue of Neotropical Ichthyology by Vicinus Bertaco, Luiz Malabarba, Max Hidalgo and Hernán Ortega. New Astyanax tetra named -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of Astyanax tetra from the upper potions of the Iguaçu River in southeastern Brazil. The description of the new species, named Astyanax varzeae after the type localilty (río da Várzea) by Vinícius Abilhoa and Luiz Duboc, is published in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. Fishkeeping comes to Nintendo DS -- Mercury Games is to release two new fishkeeping games for the Nintendo DS handheld games console. The new simulation games Aquarium by DS and Fantasy Aquarium by DS will be available on the Nintendo DS, providing an alternative, virtual, way of keeping fish. A range of over 30 common aquarium fish will be available to care for on Aquarium by DS – including angelfish, clownfish, guppies and Neon tetras. Clownfish share anemones with non-relatives -- Scientists from Spain and the USA have found that clownfish groups living in a single anemone are not close relatives. Publishing their results in a recent issue of the journal Molecular Ecology, Peter Buston, Steven Bogdanowicz, Alex Wong and Richard Harrison studied a population of the clown anemonefish, Amphiprion percula, in Madang Lagoon in Papua New Guinea. Banggai cardinal among additions to Red List -- The Banggai cardinal, Pterapogon kauderni, is among the new additions to the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Pterapogon kauderni has been classified as endangered in the 2007 Red List because its small population has suffered dramatic declines in recent years due to over-collecting for the aquarium trade. Earlier this year, the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) rejected a decision by the United States to protect Pterapogon kauderni on Appendix II of CITES. New doradid has proboscoid mouth -- Scientists from Brazil, the USA and Venezuela have described a new species of doradid catfish with an unusual proboscoid mouth in the latest issue of the journal Copeia. The new species, named Rhynchodoras castilloi, is described from the Apure River (part of the Orinoco River drainage) in Venzuela by José Birindelli, Mark Sabaj and Donald Taphorn. Seven new African catfish named -- Seven new species of African catfish in the family Amphiliidae have been described in a recent study. Published in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa in a paper by Paul Skelton, the seven new species (four species of Amphilius, two species of Doumea and one species of Phractura) are all described from West Central Africa. New Mandarin shark discovered -- Scientists have named a new species of Mandarin shark from south eastern Australia. William White, Peter Last and John Stevens of CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research named the new species, Cirrhigaleus australis, in a paper in the latest issue of the journal Zootaxa. Moray eels use second set of jaws to grab prey -- Researchers have found that moray eels use a second set of hidden jaws to help them swallow prey and pull it into their oesaphagus. Fish conservationists saved wrong species -- Scientists who have been trying to preserve an endangered species of fish for the past two decades have learned that they were preserving the wrong species. Reef fish diversify faster -- American and Canadian scientists have found evidence that fishes living in coral-reef habitats undergo higher rates of diversification than similar groups living in other habitats. Rare British coral struck by disease -- British scientists have recorded the first incidence of a coldwater coral disease in a species on an international list of threatened species. Experts from the Marine Institute at the University of Plymouth recorded the disease in the Pink sea fan, Eunicella verrucosa, in a marine protected area in south west England. German scientists study malachite green alternative -- Scientists in Germany have published the results of a study investigating the performance of an alternative whitespot medication following a ban on the use of malachite green. Rare piranha photographed for first time -- A Venezuelan fish collector has obtained the first live, colour photograph of a rarely-seen piranha. Ivan Mikolji shot Serrasalmus nalseni for the first time during a recent trip to the Uracoa River, an Orinoco tributary in Monagas State in the north east of Venezuela. News Stories from August 2007
Invasive algae killing Costa Rican coral reef -- A tropical algae thriving on fertilizers from hotel golf courses and badly treated sewage is killing one of Costa Rica's most important coastal reefs, scientists say. Fish Health Inspector receives accolade for part in shark sting -- A British Fish Health Inspector has received an award following his investigative work which led to the prosecution of those smuggling sharks from the USA into the UK's aquarium trade. API and RENA renamed Mars Fishcare -- Mars Incorporated has been explaining the thinking behind the decision to unify its regional fish care businesses into the newly named Mars Fishcare operating unit. New Oligosarcus tetra named -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of tetra of the genus Oligosarcus from Brazil. The new species, named Oligosarcus perdido by Alexandre Ribeiro, Marcel Cavallaro and Ótavio Froehlich, is described in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. Elephantnose fish can recognise objects in the dark -- Elephantnose fish can detect the shape, size, volume and material of underwater objects in complete darkness, according to the results of a new study. Elephantnose fish, Gnathonemus petersii, live in the muddy swamps of Africa and have poor eyesight but an acute sense of spatial awareness thanks to electrolocation. Unusual loach placed in own family -- The relationships of the cobitoid loaches have been examined in a recent study and the familial placement of the genera Barbucca, Serpenticobitis and Vaillantella have been reassigned. The study by Vendula Šlechtová, Jörg Bohlen and Heok Hui Tan is published in the latest issue of the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. Puffer fish sold as salmon kills 15 -- The meat of toxic puffer fish has been passed off as salmon by fish suppliers in Thailand, killing 15 and hospitalising a further 115 over the past three years. New Hypostomus from Venezuela -- American scientists have described a new species of Hypostomus catfish from southern Venezuela. The description of the new Loricariid species, named Hypostomus rhantos, by Jonathan Armbruster, Leigh Tansey and Nathan Lujan is published in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa. New Caenotropus tetra named -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of Chilodontid tetra from Brazil. The new species, named Caenotropus schizodon by Alexandre Scharchansky and Carlos de Lucena, is known from the Tapajós River drainage which is part of the Amazon River drainage. Clouded ghost knifefish described -- A new species of ghost knifefish has been described from the Amazon River. The decription of the new species, Adontosternarchus nebulosus, by John Lundberg and Cristina Fernandes has been published in the latest issue of the journal Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Tanganyikan scale-eating cichlids studied -- The evolutionary history of Lake Tanganyika's scale-eating cichlids has been reconstructed by Austrian scientists. New Laetacara cichlid described -- German scientists have described a new species of Laetacara dwarf cichlid from the upper drainages of the Rio Orinoco and Rio Negro in Venezuela. Wolfgang Staeck and Ingo Schindler described the new species as Laetacara fulvipinnis in a paper published in the latest volume of the journal Vertebrate Zoology. Long-finned Corydoras gets name -- A new species of long-finned Corydoras species has been described from the Parana River drainage in northern Argentina. The new species, named Corydoras longipinnis in a paper by Joachim Knaack published in the most recent issue of the journal Vertebrate Zoology, superficially resembles the well-known C. paleatus. Three new darters named -- American scientists have described three new species of freshwater fish which were discovered in the Mobile Basin drainage of Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. James Williams, David Neely, Stephen Walsh and Noel Burkhead named the new species as Percina kusha, Percina sipsi and Percina smithvanizi in a paper in the latest volume of the systematics journal Zootaxa. Giant ray find baffles experts -- Experts are baffled at the appearance of a three-metre-plus Manta ray which was found dead near a beach in Salem, Massachusetts. The Manta ray was spotted floating in Salem harbour and was towed to shore by jet skiers. New Knodus described from Peru -- A German scientist has described a new species of characin from the Knodus genus after it was discovered in Peru. Axel Zarske named the new species, Knodus pasco, in a paper in the German journal, Vertebrate Zoology. New tetra described from Amazon -- Scientists have described a new species of translucent tetra from the central Amazon River drainage. The new tetra is named Hemigrammus geisleri by Axel Zarske and Jacques Géry in a paper published in the most recent issue of the journal Vertebrate Zoology. New Simpsonichthys killifish -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of seasonal killifish from the swamps of the upper São Francisco River drainage in central Brazil. The new species, named Simpsonichthys punctulatus after the rows of blue dots on the flanks of the males (from the Latin punctum, meaning a small spot), is described in a paper by Wilson Costa and Gilberto Brasil published in the latest issue of the journal Vertebrate Zoology. Two new loricariids named -- American scientists have described two new species of loricariid catfish of the genus, Pseudancistrus. Publishing their results in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, Nathan Lujan, Jonathan Armbruster and Mark Sabaj have named the two new species from southern Venezuela, Pseudancistrus pectegenitor and P. yekuana. Humans drive Yangtze dolphin to extinction -- Scientists from North America, Europe and Asia have declared the Yangtze River dolphin or baiji (Lipotes vexillifer) extinct after an extensive survey of the middle-lower Yangtze River failed to locate any either by sight or acoustically. Discus genus revised -- Heiko Bleher and co-workers have published a revision of the Discus genus Symphysodon which provides evidence for the existence of three genetically distinct clades. New ghost knifefish described -- Scientists in Colombia and the USA have described a new species of ghost knifefish. The new species, named Apteronotus galvisi, after the prominent Colombian ichthyologist German Galvis, is described from the Río Meta drainage in Colombia by Carlos de Santana, Javier Maldonado-Ocampo and William Crampton in a paper published in the latest issue of the journal Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. Fisherman catches living fossil -- An extremely rare living fossil caught by a fisherman in Indonesia is being examined by scientists. The 1.3m-long (4.3ft), 50kg (110lb) coelacanth is only the second ever to have been captured in Asia and has been described as a significant find. Study reveals stingray potency -- Brazilian scientists have undertaken a study which shows why freshwater stingrays are so much more venomous than their marine counterparts. New Cameroon killifish described -- A new species of nothobranchid killifish has been described from western Cameroon by scientists in Cameroon, Germany and Belgium. Christian Akum, Rainer Sonnenberg, Jouke van der Zee and Rudolf Wildekamp have named the new killifish, Fundulopanchax kamdemi. News Stories from July 2007
Giant tuna dies after head-butting glass -- A 229-pound bluefin tuna was found dead Monday morning in the popular Outer Bay Exhibit at Monterey Bay Aquarium after it had slammed head-first into the tank's 13-inch-thick acrylic window the night before. New Metahomaloptera loach -- Chinese scientitsts have described a new species of balitorid loach from southern China. The new loach, named Metahomaloptera longicauda, is described in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa by Jian Yang, Xiaoyong Chen and Junxing Yang. New Moenkhausia tetra named -- Brazilian scientists have described a new species of the tetra genus Moenkhausia from the Rio Tocantins drainage in Brazil (part of the Amazon River drainage). Publishing their results in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa, Paulo Lucinda, Luiz Malabarba and Ricardo Benine have described Moenkhausia hysterosticta, the name coming from the Greek hysteros, meaning posterior and stictus spot, in reference to the posteriorly-located humeral spot in this species. Central American cichlids renamed -- American scientists have renamed two popular cichlids, Neetroplus nematopus and Hypsophrys nicaraguensis. In a paper published in the most recent issue of the journal Zootaxa, Prosanta Chakrabarty and John Sparks re-diagnosed the cichlid genus Hypsophrys and regarded Neetroplus as its junior synonym. Angler hooks piranha -- A piranha has been caught in a river in North Carolina in the USA. Jerry Melton, 46, caught the fish - which weighed 566g./1lb. 4oz. - while fishing for local catfish. Melton told the Herald Times he had been fishing the river his whole life and had never seen anything like it. New Bedotia rainbow described -- Scientists have described a new species of rainbowfish from Madagascar. Paul Loiselle of the New York Aquarium and Damaris Rodriguez of the American Museum of Natural History described the new species as Bedotia leucopteron in a paper in the latest issue of the systematics journal Zootaxa. Madagascan rainbows redescribed -- Two species of Madagascan rainbowfish have been redescribed by scientists. Paul Loiselle of the New York Aquarium and Damaris Rodriguez of the American Museum of Natural History redescribed Bedotia geayi and B. madagascariensis as part of their study on the newly discovered Bedotia leucopteron. CITES rejects proposal to protect Banggai cardinal -- CITES has rejected a proposal to protect the Banggai cardinal, a species believed to be under threat from aquarium fish collectors. Soft Corals "Melting" Due to Warming Seas, Expert Says -- Soft coral communities in tropical waters may literally be melting away because of bleaching events, which have been dramatically accelerated by global warming, a leading expert says. |