Mimicry is an ancient art practiced and mastered across the board in the animal kingdom. The paradigm of mimesis is a multifaceted prism, each with unique modifications to the standard model. In a precarious world where "eat or be eaten" is the central dogma,...
After last week's foray into some rather unbecoming "reef" fishes, we'll make a Uey back into familiar territory. Literally nothing is more familiar to the casual aquarist than angelfishes and surgeonfishes. Today's epithet etymology elucidates the generic meaning...
The genus Plesionika strikes a stunning chord of paradoxical dichotomy in the world of invertebrates. For one, this genus comprises well over a hundred species, widely distributed throughout the Pacific Ocean – from the reefs of the Indo-Pacific, to far east in the...
From April 20 to July 10 2016, the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer will stream live video footage as it explores the deep waters surrounding the Mariana Islands and the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. This is part of a collaborative effort between NOAA and...
The Philippines and its satellite islands form one of the richest hotspots for biodiversity in the Coral Triangle as well as the Western Pacific Ocean. It is here that many of the characteristically charming species that we've come to know and love originate - not...
The genus Prognathodes is perhaps the most phylogenetically intractable of the long-nosed butterflyfishes. Unlike Chelmon and Forcipiger, Prognathodes is highly speciose, with a majority of its members having a great affinity for deep waters, far removed from the...
The anthiines of the Indo-Pacific are home to numerous genera, most of them noted for their exuberance and sheer brilliance. These charming basslets are notoriously well known for their dazzling display of opulence; compounded to that is the sheer numbers in...
Roa is a seldom seen and poorly known genus of butterflyfish. With only four taxonomically described species, the genus has just about as many undescribed ones! In other words, of all the known Roa butterflyfishes to exist, at least half are not assigned with...
Continuing with our twilight zone series from Stenhart Aquarium's newest exhibit, here are two more deep water denizens that share the same home as the Sacura speciosa we talked about previously. First up is a gorgeous little fish from the genus Liopropoma. Liopropoma...
The mysteries of the twilight zone has never failed to captivate and enthral its target audience , be it hobbyists, reef enthusiasts, or scientists alike. And for good reason. Situated between two extremes, exploration of the mesophotic zone is plagued with logistical...