Nine new records from Christmas Island!

Hickson Fergusson has been racking up new records for Christmas Island. Thankyou @hix!

Hickson's recent observation of an Orangeline Wrasse Halichoeres hartzfeldii (left image) is the first observation of this species from Christmas Island.

In addition to the Orangeline Wrasse, Hickson has also added observations of the following species, all of which are new records for Christmas Island.

• Blackpatch Triggerfish, Rhinecanthus verrucosus (right image)
• Bluespotted Puffer, Arothron caeruleopunctatus
• Bridled Triggerfish, Sufflamen fraenatum
• Eared Blenny, Cirripectes auritus
• Inshore Surgeonfish, Acanthurus grammoptilus
• Lined Monocle Bream, Scolopsis lineata
• Slender Squirrelfish, Neoniphon sammara
• Three-ribbon Wrasse, Stethojulis trilineata

Hickson moved to Christmas Island almost 2 ½ years ago and has since done 104 dives. All the new fish records have been added since he moved. Hickson stated, "The first I found was Neoniphon sammara, within a couple of weeks of arriving, but it took a few months before I could get a photograph with its dorsal fin raised. As far as I can tell, there are only two in Flying Fish Cove, and I saw them again earlier this month, still in the same general area as they were two years ago."

In addition to documenting new occurrences of fish species at Christmas Island, Hickson has supplied underwater photos to JP Hobbs (Curtin University) that have helped in research that has documented 15 hybrid crosses involving 27 species across eight families. So far, eight of the 15 hybrid crosses have been genetically confirmed.

Reference:
Hobbs, JP. & G.R. Allen. 2014 Hybridisation among coral reef fishes at Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Raffles Bulleting of Zoology. Supplement No. 30: 220–226