A newly discovered species of bright red fish could fill the Grumpy Cat-sized hole in the heart of the internet. This new species is given a name Sueviota aethonbut bears the common name grumpy dwarf goby. The creature looks as if it is in a state of permanent dismay and was discovered by a team of researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and the University of Washington. The new fish is described in a study published September 12 in the journal ZooKeys.
The Grumpy Dwarf Goby is less than an inch long, but still has a menacing stance and was found in the Farasan Banks in the Red Sea near Saudi Arabia.
[Related: Fish in Earth’s hottest water defy the odds.]
“I imagine it is a terrifying predator in its own little world,” said Lucía Pombo-Ayora, co-author of the study and ecologist from King Abdullah University who named this species, said in a statement. “His grumpy expression and large canines certainly make him look good despite his small size.”
It can be found along the walls and overhangs of coral reefs. Its bright red color helps it blend in with its natural habitat, which is covered in water red coralline algae. It lives in small holes and small crevices in the reef, where it uses its large canines to catch and eat small invertebrates. According to the team, the dwarf goby appears to be a relatively rare species. This may be why it remained undiscovered until now.
Co-author and ecologist Viktor Nunes Peinemann first discovered it during a diving expedition to investigate the biodiversity of reef fish in the area. Initially the team was initially thought they had rediscovered the fiery dwarf goby (Sueviota pyrios). This similar fish is only known from a single specimen collected in 1972. Upon further investigation, it turned out that they had indeed found an entirely new, undescribed species.
“The continued discovery of striking new species such as this grumpy dwarf goby shows how much biodiversity remains undiscovered in the Red Sea,” says Nunes Peinemann. said in a statement. “This is concerning given the recent environmental changes in the region. In some cases, species can become extinct before we can even describe them.”
[Related: Mass extinction 183 million years ago offers dire warning for modern oceans.]
This area is known for high levels of endemic species that only occur in a very specific geographical area, including the Red Sea clownfish and the Picasso triggerfish. Of the approximately 2,100 known fish species in the Red Sea, 10 to 15 percent are not found anywhere else on Earth. The Grumpy Gudgeon is now a new addition to this unique crew.
A large part of the The Red Sea has experienced a number of major disruptions due to climate change, including some widespread coral bleaching and mortality. According to the teamthe new species that continue to be discovered in this rapidly changing environment highlight the urgency for more research and conservation efforts in the area.
