News

A new species of damselfish from the coral reefs of the Solomon Islands has been described in a new paper by Gerry Allen, Mark Erdmann and N.K. Dita Cahyani. The species from the family Pomacentridae, Chrysiptera burtjonesi, is named in honor of underwater photographer Burt Jones.

Burt and his partner Maurine Shimlock worked as cruise directors on the Bilikiki, the first liveaboard operating in the Solomons, and pioneered the early itineraries suited to underwater photographers. Through their website Bird’s Head Seascape and their guidebook to the region, Burt and Maurine have also played a major part in the enormous popularity of Triton Bay, Cenderawasih Bay, and Raja Ampat among divers and shooters.

The closest relative of Chrysiptera burtjonesi, a fairly common shallow water Solomon Islands endemic, is Chrysiptera maurineae—a Cenderawasih Bay endemic named for Burt’s wife last year.

To see some of Burt and Maurine’s images, check out DPG’s article, “Photographers of the Week – Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock.”