BRIN discovers new species of shrimpgoby in Banyuwangi

A research team from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has successfully discovered a new species of shrimpgoby in the waters of Banyuwangi, East Java, which has been named Tomiyamichthys oriens sp. nov. Researcher from BRIN’s Biosystematics and Evolution Research Centre, Kunto Wibowo, stated that the designation of the new species was not based on a single method, but rather through an integrative taxonomic approach. “We combined morphological characteristics with DNA analysis to obtain more comprehensive evidence. The results show that T. oriens has consistent characteristics and differs from its closest species, making it worthy of being established as a new species,” he said. Kunto explained that this fish has distinctive features, including five large bright orange spots along its body, small yellow spots on the head, and two elongated filaments on the first dorsal fin of the male, which distinguish it from other species in the same genus. “The naming of this species is also a form of recognition of its discovery location. We hope this finding can trigger further research to reveal Indonesia’s vast marine biodiversity wealth,” he added. Kunto explained that so far, T. oriens is only known to live in the coastal waters of Banyuwangi with a sandy bottom habitat. Information from local fishermen indicates the fish is found in shallow waters, although its ecological association with shrimp, which are generally the life partners of this goby group, still requires further study. The discovery of T. oriens adds to the list of fish species described from Indonesian waters and demonstrates that the coastal areas of the archipelago still hold biodiversity potential that has not been fully documented. BRIN continues to strengthen biosystematics research as a scientific basis for supporting the conservation, management, and utilisation of Indonesia’s biodiversity. This finding has also been published in the reputable international journal ZooKeys Volume 1283, 2026, in an article titled “Tomiyamichthys oriens, a new species of shrimpgoby (Teleostei, Gobiidae) from the coast of Banyuwangi, East Java, Indonesia”.