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1 January
Chromis abadhah Rocha, Pinheiro, Najeeb, Rocha & Shepherd 2024

Chromis abadhah in its natural habitat in Faadhippolhu Atoll, Maldives, at approximately 110 m depth. Photo by Luiz Rocha. From: Rocha, L. A., H. T. Pinheiro, A. Najeeb, C. R. Rocha and B. Shepherd. 2024. Chromis abadhah (Teleostei, Pomacentridae), a new species of damselfish from mesophotic coral ecosystems of the Maldives. ZooKeys 1219: 165–174.

In naming this new species of damselfish, the authors express a hope for the future that seems appropriate for this, the first day of 2025.

“We also hope that this species and its habitat remain perpetual.”

The specific name of the species — abadhah (pronounced aa-BAH-duh) — means “perpetual” in Dhiveli, the local language of the Maldives. The fish occurs in deep-sea coral reefs throughout the Maldivian Archipelago, often in areas with small crevices and caves located close to large numbers of sponges. The holotype was caught using a hand net at approximately 101 m below the water’s surface, in the mesophotic zone, where sunlight is limited.

The authors chose the name in recognition of the Rolex Perpetual Planet initiative, which funded the expedition that led to its discovery. The grant was awarded to the study’s lead author, Luiz Rocha, the Follett Chair of Ichthyology and Curator of Fishes at the California Academy of Sciences. The fish’s proposed English common name is Perpetual Chromis.

Despite being relatively unexplored and hard to reach, deep-sea coral reefs in the eastern Pacific, eastern Atlantic and Indian Ocean are far from pristine. Every time they dive there, Dr. Rocha and his team see the impact of human beings. Fishing lines. Nets. Ropes. Coral bleaching. Hence the authors’ “hope that this species and its habitat remain perpetual.”

Just so you know, Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual Deepsea watches start at $14,150. The 44 mm yellow-gold model sells for $54,200.

Happy New Year!