Posted on September 17, 2024
Researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and the University of Washington discovered a new species of fish in the Red Sea. They named the fish grumpy dwarfgoby for its intimidating look and grumpy appearance.
Lucía Pombo-Ayora, who gave the species its grumpy common name, says in a statement, “I imagine in its own tiny world, it is a fearsome predator. Its grumpy expression and large canines certainly make it look the part, despite its small size.”
The small fish is less than 2 centimeters in length. It has a bright red coloration which helps in blend in with its coral reef habitat that is covered with red coralline algae. Grumpy lives in small holes and crevices and uses its large canines to capture tiny invertebrates.
A CT scan of the skull of Grumpy dwarfgoby is pictured below.
The researchers found the first specimens in the Farasan Banks in Saudi Arabia, with additional specimens later found near Thuwal in the Red Sea. Researcher Viktor Nunes Peinemann was the first to discover the species during a diving expedition exploring the coral reef fish diversity.
Viktor Nunes Peinemann says, “The ongoing discovery of distinctive new species like this grumpy dwarfgoby shows how much biodiversity remains undiscovered in the Red Sea. This is concerning given the recent environmental changes in the region. In some cases, species could go extinct before we even describe them.
A research paper on grumpy dwarfgoby was published in the journal ZooKeys.
Image: Viktor Nunes Peinemann
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