Diario del proyecto Australasian fishes

A journal post in May 2023 reported on an Orangespotted Glidergoby, Valenciennea puellaris, observed by Eric Schlogl for the first time in Sydney harbor. The observation documented a massive range extension of the species down from One Tree Island, Queensland, over 1100 kilometres to the north.

Also in May, Naomi Springett uploaded the above photo of two Orangespotted Glidergobies. The photograph was taken at Jervis Bay, about 140km south of the observation made by Erik.

Naomi stated, "I first saw this species while working as a divemaster in a different area of the same dive site (The Nursery) and took note as I had recently seen photos of them from Sydney and was intrigued as I knew seeing them in Jervis Bay was unusual, but I couldn't photograph them at the time as I did not have my camera. A few weeks later I was able to get in the water with my camera and spotted this pair hanging around a hole in the sand and was excited to be able to photograph them. I am not sure if it is the same pair I had spotted a few weeks before, but it was interesting to watch them. They were not here for long, when I next managed to return to this dive site the hole was unoccupied. I will be keeping an eye out for them again when the water warms up and our tropical visitors return, this site is one of my favourites so it's always interesting to see something new turn up!"

Thank you Naomi for uploading your observation and documenting yet another tropical species well south of its 'official range'.

Many thanks also go to goby expert Dr Doug Hoese for confirming the identification of these fish.

The last journal post was about an observation of Orangespotted Glidergobies in Jervis Bay.

This post features another observation made in Jervis Bay. This time the observer is Henrick Michael and the fish is a juvenile Sixbar Wrasse, Thalassoma hardwicke.

The 'official' distribution of the Sixbar Wrasse reaches south to Sydney on the east coast. Henrick's observation was made about 140km south of Sydney.

Henrick stated, "The juvenile Sixbar wrasse was foraging along the surge zone with a few other Thalassoma species, and initially I thought it to be a juvenile parrot fish, but on closer examination I noticed subtle red stripes and an ocellus. It was somewhat difficult to photograph as there was a strong southerly current pushing against the rocky reef that day. After some time, the small wrasse dove into a sand gutter under a cluster of long-spined urchins, presumably for some safety. It was definitely unexpected to encounter one!"

As many of you would know, identifying juvenile wrasses can be challenging. Thank you to Rudie Kuiter for confirming the identification of this juvenile fish.