A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that small, elusive crabs might be a key factor affecting the populations of coral-eating starfish. While it’s well-known that outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) can severely damage coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific, scientists continue to debate the natural population cycles ofRead More

Research by the Queensland University of Technology has revealed that when it’s time to migrate, the free-living mushroom coral Cycloseris cyclolites defies traditional wisdom by heading directly towards the light. This study, spearheaded by Dr. Brett Lewis from the QUT School of Atmospheric and Earth Sciences and the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program, was publishedRead More

Ecologists from the School of Biological Sciences (SBS) and the Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) have uncovered serious ecological threats linked to the introduction of hybrid groupers into the coastal waters of Hong Kong, a practice often associated with religious ‘mercy release’ ceremonies.Their research reveals that theRead More

To enhance the survival of rare elkhorn corals in Florida’s waters, researchers from the University of Miami NOAA Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies and the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science suggest placing these corals in shallow areas with strong currents. This recommendation comes from their study titledRead More

The regal tang Paracanthurus hepatus (also variously known as the blue, hippo, palette surgeonfish or “Dory” from “Finding Nemo”), has been spotted for the first time in the coastal waters of Vietnam. Juvenile specimens of this species were photographed near Acropora sp. coral at a depth of 4.5 metres on the southern slope of HonRead More

New research utilising innovative underwater infrared cameras has revealed that artificial light can disturb sleeping fish and lure in predators, thereby altering the dynamics of nighttime coral reef communities. The findings, published in Global Change Biology, stem from a collaborative effort by an international team of scientists from the UK, France, French Polynesia, and Chile.Read More

A research team from Germany and the United States, led by Professor Iliana Baums from the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg and Dr. Samuel Vohsen from Lehigh University, has made an intriguing discovery of two unusual bacterial species within the tissues of deep-sea corals in the Gulf of Mexico.Read More

Researchers have identified a rare instance of exemplary parental behaviour in fish, specifically within a common coral reef species that actively safeguards its young by consuming parasites. Dr. Alexandra Grutter from the University of Queensland noted that the research team observed a species of damselfish that not only nurtures its offspring but also enhances theirRead More

Mesophotic coral ecosystems are home to some of the richest diversity of stony corals globally, making them a key focus for researchers. These ecosystems stand out because they support a greater number of native species compared to their shallow-water counterparts. However, monitoring these areas can be quite challenging due to their depths, which range fromRead More