Home from Indonesia diving after finding a possible new species of blenny and Mandarinfish spawning

May 5 – After a long trip, I spend my usual 10 days in a jetlag fog, barely coping with laundry and piles of unread mail. Fortunately, others on the trip have been industrious and sent along some interesting things to share.

I previously mentioned Janet Eyre and her dedicated REEF fish surveying at every stop along the way. Janet’s effort didn’t end in Indonesia. Since arriving home she has spent untold hours compiling the official trip fish list with a grand total of 689 species documented during our voyage. You can access her list at: 

http://www.fishid.com/marinelifeblog/pdf/Paradise_dancer_list.pdf

Additional fishy news arrived in my in-box yesterday from Janet who just received confirmation from Dr. Victor Springer, that a small blenny she photographed is a “new” or at least an undescribed species. The little fish could easily be passed over as just another known species in its genus, Ecsenius, were it not for Janet’s sophisticated eye. Great work Janet; you are amazing!

Janet's blenny

Paul also forwarded some magnificent photos of Mandarinfish courting, fighting and spawning that he shot in Lembeh Strait, the week before boarding the Paradise Dancer. These little one- to two-inch members of the dragonet family spawn at dusk. Paul lucked up on a population at its reproductive zenith.

An impassioned male nips an adversary

A lucky male attempts to spawn with two females

A strand of eggs flows from the female