Updates & Errata:

Caribbean Reef Life:
  • Home
  • Galleries
    • Portraits from the Reef
    • Macro Favorites
    • Reef Behavior Gallery
    • Fishes Gallery
    • Invertebrates Gallery
    • Reefscapes Gallery
    • Blackwater Dive Gallery
  • Book Samples
    • Covers & Indexes
    • Marine Plants
    • Sponges
    • Corals
    • Invertebrates
    • Fishes
  • eBooks
  • More Info
    • QUIZZES
    • PUZZLES
    • VIDEOS
    • BLOG
    • About the Author
    • Contact
    • Reader Reviews
    • Where To Find
    • Photo Updates
    • Updates & Errata
  • Buy Now

Why Updates & Errata?

"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names." –Chinese Proverb
​
In order to make "Caribbean Reef Life - A Field Guide for Divers" the most accurate and up-to-date resource possible, this page attempts to keep up with the latest developments in Caribbean marine taxonomy.
 It seems that scientific names are constantly changing. Between the second and third editions (from 2013 to 2017) a full 8% of the original 1000+ scientific names were changed, in every chapter from Marine Plants to the Fishes. From the 2017 printing to the 2018 printing another 3% had changed names. Most changes occurred within the Invertebrates. Most of these errata are due to new scientific studies that have re-classified species, while others are the result of misidentification after closer looks by marine life experts.
 Not all taxonomists agree. 
Identifications that have been challenged by one taxonomist and later verified by another have remained unchanged, although they will be noted below.
 If you have a copy of "Caribbean Reef Life - A Field Guide for Divers" from before 2017, the following changes now apply:

Marine Plants:

Picture
Picture
RED BUSH ALGA (previously Laurencia poiteaui)
is now classified as Yuzurua poiteaui.
KNOBBY BUSH ALGA (previously Laurencia gemmifera)
​is now classified as 
Yuzurua poiteaui var. gemmifera.

sponges:

Picture
ORANGE SIEVE ENCRUSTING SPONGE (Placospherastra micraster) is now classified as Timea micraster, but is under dispute.
Picture
YELLOW CALCAREOUS SPONGE
​is correctly known as 
Arturia canariensis.

invertebrates:

Picture
MANGROVE UPSIDEDOWN JELLY (previously Cassiopea xamachana) is now classified as Cassiopea andromeda.
Picture
ELEGANT ANEMONE (previously Actinoporus elegans)
is now classified as Actinoporus elongatus.
​
Picture
HYDROID ZOANTHID (previously Parazoanthus tunicans)
is now classified as Hydrozoanthus tunicans.
Picture
YELLOW SPONGE ZOANTHID (previously Parazoanthus cutressi)
is now classified as Bergia cutressi
​.
Picture
HAIRY CLINGING CRAB (previously Mithrax aculeatus)
is now classified as Amphithrax aculeatus.
Picture
CIRCLED BUMBLEBEE SHRIMP is correctly known as Gnathophyllum circellum.

Mollusks:

Picture
BARBADOS MITER (previously Mitra barbadensis)
is now classified as Probata barbadensis.
Picture
ATLANTIC YELLOW COWRIE (previously Erosaria acicularis)
is now classified as Naria acicularis.
Picture
Picture
ATLANTIC DEER COWRIE (previously Cypraea cervus)
is now classified as Macrocypraea cervus.
ATLANTIC GRAY COWRIE is correctly known as Luria cinerea.
Picture
BAHAMA SIMNIA is correctly known as Cymbovulu bahamaensis.

Picture
MOUSE CONE is correctly known as Conus mus.


Sea Slugs:

Picture
BEROLINA AGLAJA (previously Chelidonura berolina)
is now classified as Camachoaglaja berolina.
​
Picture
The black variety is now classified as Berolina aglaja forma melanica, often confused with Black Aglaja. Note only one long tail.
Picture
BLACK AGLAJA (previously Aglaja felis) 
is now classified as Migaya felis, though some taxonomists use Nakamigawaia felis. This is currently still under dispute.
Picture
Note that not all Migaya felis are solid black, but may have white lines and spots or a grayish undercolor. This species is a good example of the  difficulties in both common and scientific names.
Picture
GHOST AGLAJA (Philinopsis bagaensis) previously PAINTED AGLAJA (Philinopsis depicta). Verified by photograph only, the exact desciption and range of these species are still under debate.
Picture
PUSA/PAINTED AGLAJA (Philinopsis pusa/depicta). Different taxonomists currently disagree on the characteristic features and geographical ranges of many Philinopsis species.
Picture
APRICOT SIDEGILL SLUG (previously Berthellina engeli)
​is now under dispute and classified as "taxon inquirendum".



Picture
ZEMI’S ELYSIA (previously Elysia zemi)
is currently classified as Elysia cauze, but under dispute.



NUDIBRANCHS:

Picture
PURPLE-RING FLABELLINA (previously Flabellina marcusorum)
is now classified as Coryphellina marcusorum.
Picture
HARLEQUIN SEA GODDESS (previously Felimida clenchi)
is now classified as Felimida binza.


Picture
REDLINE BLUE SEA GODDESS (previously Risbecia nyalya)
is now classified as Felimare nyalya.
Picture
Felimida clenchi is pictured above. The two species have recently been re-classified based on color paterns and distribution.

fishes:

Picture
OCEAN SURGEONFISH (previously Acanthurus tractus)
is now classified as Acanthurus bahianus. 
Picture
LONGSNOUT BUTTERFLYFISH (previously Chaetodon aculeatus)
is now classified as Prognathodes aculeatus.
Picture
MANTA RAY (Manta birostris)
​is now classified as Mobula birostris.
Picture
ORANGESIDED GOBY (previously as Gobiosoma dilepis)
is now classified as Tigrigobius dilepis.
Picture
Picture
Picture
GLASS BLENNY SPECIES COMPLEX (Emblemariopsis spp.) 
The Glass Blenny Complex is currently being revised. There are currently 11 (?) species in the genus Emblemariopsis, with slight differences based on geographical location, markings and
 cirri, as well as the age and sex of the idividual. Updates will be posted soon.
Picture
BIGEYE (Priacanthus arenatus): In previous editions the photo is likely a monochrome variety of GLASSEYE SNAPPER.
Picture
PALE CARDINALFISH (Apogon planifrons): In previous editions the photo is likely a pale variety of BARRED CARDINALFISH.
Picture
MACULATED FLOUNDER (Bothus maculiferus): In previous editions the text should read "blue rings on back and spots on fins."
Picture
OYSTER BLENNY (Hypleurochilus pseudoaequipinnis): In previous editions the above photo was labeled MOCK HAIRY BLENNY.

Keep visiting this page to see new updates on Caribbean reef species. It is certain that more and more species will be renamed and re-classified as Caribbean marine taxonomy grows. The current trend of using DNA analysis to differentiate species will no doubt bring many more changes in the coming years.

HOME
All Material, copyright Mickey Charteris, 2016
Picture
  • Home
  • Galleries
    • Portraits from the Reef
    • Macro Favorites
    • Reef Behavior Gallery
    • Fishes Gallery
    • Invertebrates Gallery
    • Reefscapes Gallery
    • Blackwater Dive Gallery
  • Book Samples
    • Covers & Indexes
    • Marine Plants
    • Sponges
    • Corals
    • Invertebrates
    • Fishes
  • eBooks
  • More Info
    • QUIZZES
    • PUZZLES
    • VIDEOS
    • BLOG
    • About the Author
    • Contact
    • Reader Reviews
    • Where To Find
    • Photo Updates
    • Updates & Errata
  • Buy Now