A new type of fish described as “grumpy” by scientists has been found in the Arabian Red Sea.
The species – scientifically named sueviota aethon – has been dubbed the grumpy dwarfgoby by researchers who found the fish among coral reefs in the sea, living in small holes and crevices.
In a study published last week, researchers said the name “refers to the fish’s apparent grumpy and rather unhappy appearance, primarily due to the extremely upturned mouth position”.
The “dwarf” part of its name refers to its size of under 2cm and “goby” to the family of fish it belongs to: gobiidae – which comprises of some 2,000 species of bony fish.
The team of researchers from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and the University of Washington revealed the grumpy dwarfgoby to the world in a study published in Pensoft’s ZooKeys journal.
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The first of the fish was discovered in the Farasan Banks in Saudi Arabia, with additional specimens later found near Thuwal on the Red Sea.
It was researcher Viktor Nunes Peinemann who first found them during a diving expedition to explore the coral reef fish diversity.
Initially, the researchers thought they had rediscovered a type of dwarfgoby found in 1972.
But it was the grumpy dwarfgoby’s angry appearance that set it apart.
It appears to be a relatively rare species, the researchers said, which is likely why it remained undiscovered until now.
Lucía Pombo-Ayora, who gave the species its name, said: “I imagine in its own tiny world, it is a fearsome predator.
“Its grumpy expression and large canines certainly make it look the part, despite its small size.”
