Researchers Find New Fish Species in Great Barrier Reef

A newly discovered fish species the Lady Elliot Shrimp Goby in the Great Barrier Reef. (AAP Image/Supplied by University of the Sunshine Coast)

A new fish was “uniquely” discovered in the Great Barrier Reef’s southern waters, Sunshine Coast researchers said on Oct. 9.

The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) found the new coral reef fish, the Lady Elliot Shrimp Gob, while mapping the changing biodiversity on Lady Elliot Island. The discovery comes while marine life was disappearing, researchers said.

The small and white fish, with brown spots, yellow-orange bands and a large sail-like dorsal fin, was first sighted in a sand burrow that it shares with snapping shrimps, according to a paper released in the Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.

Scientists believe that this newly discovered fish is potentially present throughout the entire reef system.

Marine biologist Chris Dudgeon said the “significant and exciting discovery” comes a “while” after a new fish has been found.

“While the Great Barrier Reef is a much-studied ecosystem, the last completely new species was a grouper found in the deep sea in 2019, where most discoveries come from. To find a new fish species in the shallows on a reef, in plain sight, is unique,” Mr. Dudgeon said.

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However, it generated speculation about many more new species were “waiting to be uncovered,” according to the researchers, adding they would confirm if over seven other unidentified marines were also new.

Queensland Museum Ichthyologist Jeff Johnson said the “painstaking process” of identifying new fish happened 20-30 times yearly in Australian waters.

“I'd say it’s quite often that you find new species,” Mr. Johnson told ABC. “Still, it’s a meticulous process of recognising and comparing them to their closest relatives to determine if they were already found.”

He said over 5,000 species were in Australian territorial waters, but the Great Barrier Reef is “undoubtedly a stand-out area for diversity.”

Lemon Damselfish swimming amongst staghorn corals on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, on July 13, 2021. (Melanie Sun/The Epoch Times)

New Fish are Critical to the Ecosystem

UniSC marine biologist Associate Professor Kathy Townsend said new fish research was critical to ecosystem protection, mapping biodiversity change, measuring climate change impact, and safeguarding it.

Ms. Townsend said through research, scientists uncovered the world’s oldest recorded red-tailed tropic bird and identified 14 new migrant species on the island in 2020.

“We have fish and birds appearing in places they haven’t been found before, emphasising the critical role that Lady Elliot Island plays as a wildlife refuge and a shelter for northern tropical species moving south to escape warming oceans,” she said.

Lady Elliot Island is a habitat for over 1,200 species of marine life.

Great Barrier Reef Foundation Managing Director Anna Marsden said the UniSC research established timeline arks of the changing climate to help provide refuge for those species.

“This exciting discovery of the Lady Elliot Shrimp Goby further highlights the importance of protecting the ecosystems that provide a safe home for our Reef’s amazing animals against the impacts of climate change,” Ms. Marsden said.

The Lady Elliot Shrimp Gob joins over 100 recognised species of shrimp gobies in the Indo-West Pacific, according to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBR).

They often live in the same burrows as shrimps. However, the goby acts as a “lookout” to warn the shrimp of predators. In return, the shrimp builds and maintains the burrow.

Lady Elliot Island was the first location in GBR’s 10-year Islands Initiative project to protect critical habitats.

Lendlease, the Australian Government, the Queensland Government, and the Fitzgerald Family Foundation support the program funding.

Hidden Excess Nutrients Suffocates the Great Barrier Reef, Scientists Say

Among climate change, habitats and new species, water quality is also crucial to the reef’s health and survival, according to Southern Cross University (SCU) in a release.

However, unquantified groundwater is the largest source of new nutrients to the reef, which could change how the Great Barrier Reef is managed, according to a study published in the Environmental Science and Technology journal on Oct. 9.

“Too many nutrients can lead to losses of coral biodiversity and coverage,” SCU said.

“It also increases the abundance of algae and the ability of coral larvae to grow into adult coral, and impacts seagrass coverage and health, which is crucial for fisheries and biodiversity.”

SCU senior researcher Douglas Tait said the river-derived nutrient imbalance suggested large, unidentified sources of nutrients to the reef.

“Not knowing what these are may lead to ineffective management approaches,” he said.

Further, SCU called for a “new perspective” towards “long-term” management to protect the Great Barrier Reef from the effects of excess nutrients.

“This includes better land management practices to ensure fewer nutrients enter groundwater aquifers. We can also use ecological and hydrological methods at groundwater discharge hotspots to reduce excess nutrients in the water column.”

“While we need to reduce the impact of climate change on this fragile ecosystem, we also need to adjust our policies to manage nutrient inputs and safeguard the Great Barrier Reef for generations to come.”