Chromis abyssus

Lore & Background

Chromis abyssus is a species of damselfish first discovered in 1997 and described in 2008. The 8 centimetres (3.1 in) long fish only lives more than 110 m (361 ft) below the surface of the Pacific Ocean around the coast of the Ngemelis Islands, Palau. Adults have been observed living singly or in pairs, whereas juveniles tend to live in groups.

Its specific name, abyssus, is a Latinised form of the Greek noun abyssos (meaning 'abyss'), in honour of the documentary film Pacific Abyss, produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation, which funded the expedition on which the type specimens were collected. The vernacular name 'deep blue Chromis', a reference to both the life colour of this species and the relatively (within the context of the genus) deep-dwelling habits, is suggested instead of the more literally translated 'abyss Chromis', so as not to imply that the species inhabits depths commonly defined as abyssal.

Reader's Guide

Chromis abyssus holds significance as the first species entered into the ZooBank registry, with a timestamp of 2008-01-01T00:00:02. This milestone, combined with its selection as one of 'The Top 10 New Species' described in 2008 by The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and an international committee of taxonomists, highlights its role in modern taxonomic documentation. The species was discovered in 1997 and described in 2008, with its specific name honoring the BBC documentary Pacific Abyss, which funded the expedition that collected the type specimens. Its vernacular name 'deep blue Chromis' was suggested to avoid implying abyssal depths, as the fish lives only more than 110 m below the surface. Adults live singly or in pairs, while juveniles form groups. The species is restricted to the Pacific Ocean around the Ngemelis Islands, Palau, and reaches 8 cm in length. Its legacy lies in being a landmark entry in digital species registration and a representative of deep-dwelling damselfish.