Calling Fish Geeks.......

Thought you may be interested - lots of us have had trouble identifying the Tomato Anemone fish in Fiji, and it has just been identified as a new species, plus the new wrasse ID'd a couple of years ago is described.

See link

Fiji Amphiprion and Cirrhilabrus new species…mainly by DNA data

http://www.aqua-aquapress.com/latest_issues.html

Cheers,

Helen

Helen Sykes

The Great Fiji Butterflyfish Count
2 - 8 November 2008

e: info@fijibutterflyfishcount.com
http://www.fijibutterflyfishcount.com
www.fijibutterflyfishcount.blogspot.com

marine ecology consulting

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Aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology

Gerald R. Allen, Joshua Drew and Les Kaufman: Amphiprion barberi, a new species of anemonefish (Pomacentridae) from Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa, pp. 105-114

Abstract

Amphiprion melanopus, underwater photograph of adult, about 75.0 mm SL, Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, 3 m depth. Photo by G. R. Allen.

Amphiprion barberi, a new species of anemonefish fish, is described from 46 specimens, 16.3-85.8 mm SL, collected at depths of 2-10 m from coral reefs of Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa. It is closely allied to A. melanopus, which is widely distributed in the western Pacific. The two species exhibit significant colour-pattern differences, including a mainly reddish orange body in A. barberi and dark brown or blackish body in A. melanopus. Adults of the new species also possess fewer spinules (11-19 versus 19-26) in the upper-opercular series than A. melanopus. Genetic data presented here confirms the separation of these species. (PDF)

Gerald R. Allen, Joshua Drew and Paul Barber: Cirrhilabrus beauperryi, a new wrasse (Pisces: Labridae) from Melanesia, pp. 129-140

Abstract

Underwater photograph of terminal phase (male) Cirrhilabrus beauperryi in courtship display, approximately 115 mm TL, 15 m depth, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. Photo by G. R. Allen.

Cirrhilabrus beauperryi is described from eight specimens, 49.0-85.1 mm SL, collected at Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. Field observations also reveal its occurrence at the Bismarck Archipelago (New Britain, New Ireland, and Manus), Madang (Papua New Guinea), and Solomon Islands. The new species is closely related to and has frequently been confused with C. punctatus from Fiji, Tonga, New Caledonia, eastern Australia and southern Papua New Guinea. The two species are clearly separable on the basis of colour pattern. Terminal-phase individuals of C. beauperryi are generally purplish grading to blue ventrally and greenish or yellowish brown dorsally with a broad purple stripe along the basal half of the otherwise pale yellow dorsal fin. In contrast, terminal-phase C. punctatus are generally reddish brown to dark grey on the upper two-thirds of the head and body and abruptly white below with broad black stripes along the base of mainly red dorsal and anal fins. They also differ noticeably with respect to the colouration on the base of the pectoral fins: in C. beauperryi it is mainly violet with a narrow, inconspicuous purple bar; that of C. punctatus is prominently marked with a broad black bar. The pectoral-base marking is also useful for distinguishing initial-phase fish. The terminal phase of C. beauperryi also exhibits a unique median head profile characterised by a rounded forehead and concave interorbital region. DNA analysis reveals the two species are genetically distinct. (PDF)

Waitabu Marine Park Blog