Kai The Fish Guy

Had an amazing 8 days on the island of Buru in the Maluku Archipelago! Here are some notable pictures.

The very lovely Delias caeneus

Had an amazing 8 days on the island of Buru in the Maluku Archipelago! Here are some notable pictures.

Delias eschatia. First live shots too!

Had an amazing 8 days on the island of Buru in the Maluku Archipelago! Here are some notable pictures.

Delias rothschildi, a lovely species that looks like and flies in the same habitat as Delias apatela.

Had an amazing 8 days on the island of Buru in the Maluku Archipelago! Here are some notable pictures.

First live photographs of what appears to be a new Hypochrysops taxon from the apollo species complex! Not previously recorded from the Maluku Islands, and not a known species/subspecies of anything from the region.

Had an amazing 8 days on the island of Buru in the Maluku Archipelago! Here are some notable pictures.

Nepenthes maxima in situ

Gonna deep fry the holotype of NEMO

PhD opportunity: I am looking for a PhD student to study taxonomy and systematics of labrid fishes and other coral reef taxa. Successful applicants will be jointly based at the University of Sydney and the Australian Museum Research Institute.

This is one of the most exciting loans I’ve ever unpacked. There are only seven specimens of Prognathodes guyotensis known from collections worldwide; three specimens in the type series, all from the Kyushu-Palau Ridge, and a further four from scattered localities across the Indo-Pacific.

Last weekend I was fortunate to encounter two female Yellow Jewel butterflies (Hypochrysops byzos) along a creek line about 45 minutes from Canberra. This is a very elusive and one of the more difficult of the Australian Jewels to find, so finding bro one but two was an extra special treat.

Watching The Boys and there’s a fish I named in one of the scenes! Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis, the Blue-throat Fairy Wrasse. I described this species in 2018!

Hypochrysops delicia, the Moonlight Jewel I’ve spent many unsuccessful summers over the last few years trying to find this species around the Sydney area. Turns out they’re around, but only at the top of the tallest peaks, in the furthest corner of the Blue Mountains, and only appear after 4 pm.

Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus, the “Deepwater Wrasse” This is a really beautiful species native to northeast Australia, New Caledonia, and southern Vanuatu. It belongs to a small lineage of very distinctive fairy wrasses with only two other species.

The species name “bathyphilus” literally translates to “love of the deep”, in reference to its preference for deep reefs. Ironically, while it does live in fairly deep coral reefs (up to 90 m), it does not hold the record for the deepest dwelling fairy wrasse.

Today’s #EtymologyEpithet is a double whammy! The first is Pseudojuloides Pluto from Ogasawara, Wake Atoll, and the Mariana Archipelago. The specific epithet is given after Pluto, god of the underworld, in reference to the sinister coloration of the males.

The common name is given after the pomegranate, the symbol of Proserpina. The crosshatch pattern on its body and sinuous facial markings bear resemblance to the seed studded interior of the pomegranate fruit.

Today’s #EtymologyEpithet is a double whammy! The first is Pseudojuloides Pluto from Ogasawara, Wake Atoll, and the Mariana Archipelago. The specific epithet is given after Pluto, god of the underworld, in reference to the sinister coloration of the males.

The common name is given after the lovely females, whose subtle beauty bear resemblance to narcissus flowers. The narcissus is also a symbol of Pluto, growing along the River Styx in the underworld.

Ok I’m gonna need you all to repost today’s #EtymologyEpithet far and wide because this is one of my fav fishes I’ve ever described.