Scientists Identify Stunning New Tropical Reef Fish That Shimmers Like An Opal

A small, strikingly beautiful damselfish that is new to science was identified on a coral reef on Madagascar’s northeastern coast

by GrrlScientist for Forbes | @GrrlScientist

Corazon’s Damsel (Pomacentrus vatosoa), a new species of damselfish discovered off northeastern Madagascar.
(Credit: Y.K. Tea, doi:10.1643/CI-19–221)

Christmas arrived early in 2018 for reef enthusiasts and marine fish keepers when it was announced that an unknown fish species had been discovered on northeastern Madagascar. This fish was discovered in relatively shallow waters in a reef near a city, and was mostly white in color — yet had never been seen before. Further, which genus this beautiful fish should be placed into confounded the experts, which added to the buzz of excitement surrounding it.

The species, which is new to science, was described and formally named Corazon’s damsel, Pomacentrus vatosoa, by ichthyologist Benjamin Frable, Collection Manager of Fishes at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Yi-Kai Tea, an expert on coral reef fishes and a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney studying systematic ichthyology, which is the science of classifying and naming new species, and understanding how they fit into the broader context of life.

Damselfishes are a diverse group of small- to medium-sized fishes that occur throughout the tropics and subtropics.