Terelabrus toretore is a New Species of Striped Hogfish from Tahiti | Reef Builders

A brand new species of deepwater hogfish has been described within the journal Zoological Research. Terelabrus toretore is now the fifth species within the genus Terelabrus, and was found within the mesophotic zone in Tahiti, French Polynesia. Mesophotic zones vary from 100-490 ft, and characterize the decrease limits for many photosynthetic corals as effectively for divers. Specialist rebreather diving tools and educated technical divers are vital for depths over 200 ft. T.toretore was collected at a staggering 140m/459’ by a group together with well-known deep diving Ichthyologist Luis Rocha, of the California Academy of Sciences. The paper was authored by Bart Shepherd, Hudson T. Pinheiro, Tyler A. Y. Phelps, Gilles Siu, and Luis Rocha. 

The 4 different species of Terelabrus additionally come from mesophotic reefs, at depths from 50-150m/164-492′. The first member of the genus, T.rubrovittatus was caught in New Caledonia and described in 1998. The second species, T.dewapyle, arrived in 2015 and was described from 5 specimens collected in southern Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji. Terelabrus flavocephalus got here in 2016 from the Maldives, and Terelabrus zonalis got here in 2018 from the Philippines, coming by the use of a trawl.

In 2019 the group collected two specimens of a suspected new species of Terelabrus from French Polynesia, adopted by what later turned out to be T.rubrovittatus from the Marshall Islands – a variety extension for that species. T.zonalis was additionally present in Australia for the primary time – one other vary extension when the primary was discovered within the Philipines, and the brand new species is now named on this paper as Terelabrus toretore, from the Tahitian phrase for striped.

Terelabrus are small, fast swimming labrid fishes, based on the authors, characterised by an elongated, cylindrical physique, massive eyes and a physique coloration sometimes consisting of alternating longitudinal stripes of pink and yellow or white, which prolong alongside the total size of the physique.

Variations embody the variety of scale rows in longitudinal collection, the variety of gill rakers, the variety of posterior branches of the primary supratemporal sensory canal, and shade. The paper says that, as with quite a few different new fishes which have been lately described from deep reefs, these species have been described utilizing solely a single or small variety of specimens however are seemingly widespread of their habitat. 

We requested Bart Shepherd, Senior Director on the Steinhart Aquarium, and lead creator on the brand new description extra about this discovery:

Are you able to describe the habitat for Terelabrus toretore and its congeners?

Many of the deep reefs that we dive on are very structured, rocky environments, with plenty of small caves and crevasses. The invert fauna is extremely variable – generally we discover each obtainable floor lined with encrusting organisms, sponges, black corals, wire corals, gorgonians, and so on. Different reefs are much less various with extra uncovered rock. I’m undecided what the sample is, however it isn’t at all times associated to depth. That’s, the locations we go to don’t at all times get much less biodiverse and richly populated the deeper we go. Generally the deepest elements are probably the most stunning and various. 

Do you goal unexplored areas when in search of new fish, or do studies of recent fish make you go to these areas?

Each! Now we have particularly visited areas the place ROV work has revealed a number of undescribed fishes- for instance, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), from the place we now have described 5 or 6 new species discovered on only a pair of deep dives. We additionally had the good thing about some ROV scouting in French Polynesia, together with the display seize of Terelabrus toretore that seems on this paper. Different instances we all know we’re the primary folks taking a look at these habitats. Now we have an exquisite new partnership within the Maldives that’s yielding nice outcomes. There is no such thing as a decompression diving allowed in the whole nation, so we now have obtained particular permission to do that work and are the primary folks seeing any of those reefs. It’s very thrilling. 

Which mesophotic zones are significantly scorching for brand new fish species proper now? The place is subsequent in your checklist to discover?

The Maldives is a present space of focus. We’ve discovered perhaps 10-12 new species of deep reef fish on a few journeys. I’m hoping we’ll get again there in October to proceed this work. I’m mainly excited to go wherever within the Indian Ocean, because the mesophotic zone there’s largely unexplored. Our greatest problem is getting the correct dive assist – together with an operational hyperbaric (recompression) chamber for our personal security. We’ve bought another journeys tentatively deliberate with companions in Chile and New Zealand, so hopefully, we’ll get there quickly. And naturally the Galapagos. The Academy has an extended historical past of partnership and analysis within the Galapagos, and nobody has actually explored the mesophotic there. I’m positive it could be chilly, but it surely ought to be wonderful! 

Do you suppose any Terelabrus will make their manner into the aquarium commerce? T.rubrovittatus appears pretty!

That’s a fantastic query. They’re clearly beneath the attain of most collectors. We see occasional dribbles of fishes from mesophotic reefs into the aquarium commerce, so I believe it’s attainable. And we in fact don’t know the extent of their pure ranges – they seemingly happen far outdoors of the few areas the place they’ve been documented. 

How do Terelabrus stay collectively within the wild? Do they kind pairs? Are they aggressive and territorial to one another and different species?

We at all times see them as people. We might see several on a single dive, however they don’t college or kind pairs so far as I’ve seen. It’s actually arduous to extrapolate habits from the few brief minutes that we now have on the underside, so I truthfully can’t say how they work together with one another or with different fishes. 

What challenges do you face when diving the mesophotic zone?

So many! Time is likely one of the greatest ones. Now we have such a short while down there – 10 to twenty minutes, normally. And we’re so task-loaded: managing the rebreather, monitoring the opposite members of the group, in search of fish, watching the decompression time construct up. It takes a lot psychological vitality to remain on high of all of this whereas we’re beneath such immense strain – actually and figuratively! After which on high of all of that, go attempt to catch a fish with hand-nets. It’s all actually difficult, and when the fish will get away it may be very irritating. 

What are you engaged on proper now, and what journeys do you’ve deliberate for the longer term?

As I discussed, the Maldives is a giant space of focus. We even have been creating a partnership with the Roatan Marine Park in Roatan, Honduras. I’m enthusiastic about that as effectively. We’ve bought 10-12 new species of fishes from our current journeys that have to be named. And 29 September 2023 is the a centesimal anniversary of the opening of Steinhart Aquarium, so we’re engaged on plans to have fun that later within the 12 months.  So I’m very busy with my function as Director of Steinhart Aquarium in addition to co-leading the Academy’s Hope for Reefs initiative.