‘Dwarf’-like sea creature found on coral reef. It’s an ‘iridescent’ new species
Off the coast of Papua New Guinea, a “dwarf”-like sea creature with spotted eyes swam around a reef. It darted into a nearby coral as a shadowy figure approached, but its hiding spot wasn’t quite hidden enough.
Scuba diving scientists noticed the “iridescent” animal — and discovered a new species.
A team of researchers visited several coral reefs in Milne Bay province between 2016 and 2025 as part of a project to document and identify marine life, according to a study published Sept. 25 in the peer-reviewed Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.
During their scuba dives, researchers encountered dozens of small fish with unique eyes, the study said. When they took a closer look at the animals, they realized they’d discovered a new species: Eviota bella, or the beautiful dwarfgoby.
Beautiful dwarfgobies can reach about an inch in length, researchers said. They have “sloping” heads with a “slanted” mouth and “projecting” jaw. Their eyes have several “small, white spots surrounding (the) pupil.”
Photos show the bright orange-brown coloring of the new species. Their heads, mouths and eyes are the most vivid part of their body. Some of their fins have an electric blue edge.
Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin word for “beautiful” because of its “iridescent live colors.”
Beautiful dwarfgobies were “found in groups of 3–30+ individuals” on “outer reef slopes exposed to clear water” at depths of about 13 to 50 feet, the study said. When approached, the fish “retreat into the coral colonies.”
In general, dwarfgobies are “relatively abundant” but “difficult to observe” because of “their small size” and tendency to “dive for cover,” researchers said.
So far, beautiful dwarfgobies have only been found in Milne Bay Province and Northern Province, neighboring regions of southeastern Papua New Guinea, the study said. A YouTube video shared by Allways Dive Expeditions shows a coral reef in Milne Bay.
The new species was identified by its eye coloring, body coloring, sensory pores, fin shape and other subtle physical features, the study said. Researchers did not provide a DNA analysis of the new species.
The research team included David Greenfield, Mark Erdmann and Nesha Ichida.
This story was originally published October 15, 2025 at 10:52 AM with the headline "‘Dwarf’-like sea creature found on coral reef. It’s an ‘iridescent’ new species."
