Research Article |
Corresponding author: Yi-Kai Tea ( teayk1@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Bruno Melo
© 2022 Yi-Kai Tea, Ahmed Najeeb, Joseph Rowlett, Luiz A. Rocha.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC0 Public Domain Dedication.
Citation:
Tea Y-K, Najeeb A, Rowlett J, Rocha LA (2022) Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa (Teleostei, Labridae), a new species of fairy wrasse from the Maldives, with comments on the taxonomic identity of C. rubrisquamis and C. wakanda. ZooKeys 1088: 65-80. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1088.78139
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Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis is redescribed on the basis of the juvenile holotype and compared to known species of Cirrhilabrus. Examination of material from the Maldives identified as C. rubrisquamis reveal differences from the holotype collected from the Chagos Archipelago. Consequently, the Maldivian specimens are herein described as Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa sp. nov., on the basis of the holotype and twelve paratypes. The new species differs from all congeners in having: males with anterior third to half of body bright magenta, peach to orange-pink posteriorly; lateral line with 22–26 pored scales (16–18 in the dorso-anterior series, 6–8 in the posterior peduncular series); tenth to eleventh dorsal-fin spine longest (14.0–15.5% SL); scales on the opercle, chest, isthmus, and anterior third of the body with a dark purple-red central region (purple in alcohol), the markings joining appearing crosshatched; dorsal, caudal, anal, and pelvic-fin rays purple in alcohol. Meristic details and coloration patterns of C. rubrisquamis are very similar to C. wakanda from Tanzania, Africa, although synonymy of both species cannot be determined without additional material from Chagos. This potential synonymy is briefly discussed; however, until such material becomes available, the taxonomic statuses of C. wakanda and C. rubrisquamis are here provisionally regarded as valid.
Coral reefs, deep reefs, Indian Ocean, mesophotic, reef fish
Methods for counting and measuring mostly follow
Proportional measurements for holotype of Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis, and type series of C. finifenmaa sp. nov., and C. wakanda, expressed as percentage of the standard length. Data for C. wakanda (n = 5) summarized from
Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis | Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa sp. nov. | Cirrhilabrus wakanda | |||||||||||||
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Holotype | Holotype | Paratypes | Holotype and four paratypes | ||||||||||||
Sex | Juvenile | Male | Male | Male | Female | Female | Juvenile | Male | Male | Female | Male | Male | Female | Female | 2 Males and three females |
Standard length (mm) | 40.6 | 69.2 | 70.5 | 57.6 | 52.9 | 52.1 | 35.8 | 76.7 | 54.2 | 47.9 | 69.1 | 59.7 | 54.0 | 57.2 | 54.3–70.3 |
Body depth | 28.8 | 31.6 | 30.2 | 32.3 | 32.3 | 29.8 | 35.8 | 31.3 | 28.2 | 29.0 | 31.4 | 31.2 | 28.3 | 29.4 | 29.8–31.9 |
Body width | 13.3 | 13.9 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.2 | 13.2 | 12.6 | 14.6 | 13.1 | 12.1 | 17.2 | 16.1 | 15.2 | 15.7 | 11.8–14.5 |
Head length | 35.0 | 31.6 | 30.4 | 31.3 | 32.1 | 32.4 | 33.2 | 31.0 | 33.4 | 35.9 | 33.9 | 33.5 | 32.6 | 33.0 | 27.7–31.2 |
Snout length | 9.6 | 9.5 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 9.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 10.2 | 9.1 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 7.4–8.9 |
Orbit diameter | 10.1 | 8.8 | 9.5 | 9.2 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 11.7 | 9.6 | 10.3 | 11.1 | 9.0 | 9.7 | 10.0 | 9.1 | 6.6–9.0 |
Interorbital width | 7.4 | 9.1 | 8.2 | 9.5 | 9.8 | 9.4 | 9.5 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.3 | 10.2 | 9.4 | 10.0 | 7.7–9.6 |
Upper jaw length | 6.4 | 7.4 | 5.8 | 8.7 | 7.0 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 9.3 | 5.7 | 7.3 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 6.5–8.3 |
Caudal-peduncle depth | 16.5 | 14.5 | 15.5 | 15.1 | 15.9 | 15.9 | 15.4 | 14.3 | 15.9 | 16.3 | 17.7 | 16.9 | 14.8 | 15.4 | 14.8–16.5 |
Caudal-peduncle length | 13.5 | 15.8 | 17.9 | 16.5 | 15.9 | 15.2 | 10.1 | 18.9 | 11.8 | 14.8 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 13.1 | 14.3 | 12.8–16.5 |
Predorsal length | 36.9 | 31.2 | 31.9 | 33.3 | 31.6 | 35.9 | 34.4 | 33.4 | 34.9 | 38.4 | 33.6 | 34.0 | 33.0 | 34.1 | 31.7–33.8 |
Preanal length | 65.3 | 61.4 | 61.0 | 60.1 | 67.3 | 61.8 | 65.6 | 55.7 | 58.1 | 61.8 | 57.6 | 59.6 | 61.7 | 61.0 | 58.5–61.4 |
Prepelvic length | 40.9 | 35.7 | 35.7 | 34.7 | 34.4 | 34.9 | 38.3 | 33.5 | 34.3 | 38.6 | 35.0 | 34.5 | 34.6 | 33.9 | 31.5–36.5 |
Dorsal-fin base | 57.4 | 60.4 | 57.7 | 60.8 | 60.7 | 58.0 | 57.5 | 61.3 | 58.5 | 61.4 | 60.0 | 61.0 | 57.6 | 61.0 | 55.3–63.2 |
First dorsal spine | 9.1 | 7.9 | 6.8 | 8.0 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 6.8 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 5.6 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 5.2–6.5 |
Longest dorsal spine | 15.0 | 15.5 | 15.0 | 15.1 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 15.9 | 10.6 | 14.2 | 15.6 | 14.3 | 11.9–14.3 |
Longest dorsal ray | 17.2 | 19.1 | 20.1 | 18.1 | 18.1 | 17.7 | damaged | 21.4 | 15.3 | 20.0 | 21.7 | 17.1 | 18.1 | 18.7 | 16.7–19.0 |
Anal-fin base | 22.4 | 28.0 | 24.5 | 24.8 | 25.7 | 22.8 | 25.1 | 26.6 | 26.0 | 24.0 | 28.5 | 25.6 | 27.0 | 26.9 | 25.3–27.6 |
First anal spine | 8.9 | 6.4 | 7.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 4.9 | 8.3 | 6.6 | 5.2–6.4 |
Second anal spine | 13.5 | 9.7 | 10.9 | 10.8 | 11.0 | 11.3 | 10.6 | 11.0 | 12.4 | 10.2 | 11.1 | 9.7 | 11.5 | 10.1 | 9.1–10.1 |
Third anal spine | 14.3 | 11.6 | 11.2 | 11.8 | 12.1 | 13.2 | 11.7 | 12.3 | 12.5 | 10.2 | 13.0 | 11.7 | 12.2 | 11.4 | 10.5–11.4 |
Longest anal ray | 18.0 | 20.2 | 19.7 | 17.0 | 17.0 | 16.9 | 14.8 | 23.3 | 20.5 | 21.1 | 21.7 | 20.1 | 16.9 | 18.4 | 14.5–17.9 |
Caudal-fin length | 29.6 | 27.5 | 29.8 | 25.9 | 28.0 | 28.8 | 32.1 | 30.0 | 33.6 | 30.7 | 28.5 | 29.8 | 29.6 | 32.9 | 25.4–31.6 |
Pectoral-fin length | 19.7 | 20.2 | 20.0 | 21.0 | 21.4 | 20.9 | 19.3 | 23.5 | 19.7 | 24.0 | 6.4 | 21.8 | 20.7 | 21.5 | 18.3–21.8 |
Pelvic-spine length | 14.8 | 11.3 | 11.5 | 12.2 | 12.7 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 11.5 | 12.0 | 12.9 | 11.1 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 11.0 | 11.0–12.1 |
Pelvic-fin length | 19.2 | 22.7 | 17.2 | 18.8 | 20.8 | 19.2 | 20.4 | 22.9 | 18.6 | 18.4 | 13.0 | 16.8 | 17.8 | 21.7 | 15.5–18.8 |
Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis
Randall & Emery, 1983: 21; fig. 1 (description);
Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis:
Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis shares similar meristic characters to other members of this genus, in particular C. wakanda (the potential synonymy of both species is discussed below). However, the holotype is readily distinguished from related congeners in having the following combination of characters: lateral line with 21 or 22 pored scales (15 or 16 in the dorso-anterior series, six in the posterior peduncular series); gill rakers 16; caudal fin round with blue and yellow vermiculation in life; dorsal two-thirds of body with purple scales arranged in a chain-link pattern in life.
Dorsal-fin rays XI,9; all soft rays branched except first; anal-fin rays III,9; all soft rays branched except first; last dorsal and anal-fin ray branched to base; pectoral-fin rays 15/15, upper two unbranched; pelvic-fin rays I,5; principal caudal-fin rays 7+6, uppermost and lowermost unbranched; upper procurrent caudal-fin rays 5, lower procurrent caudal-fin rays 5; lateral line interrupted, with dorso-anterior series of pored scales 16/15 and midlateral posterior peduncular series 6/6; first pored scale on posterior peduncular series often pitted; last pored scale on posterior peduncular series enlarged and overlapping hypural crease; scales above lateral line to origin of dorsal fin 2; scales below lateral line to origin of anal fin 6; median predorsal scales 5; median prepelvic scales 5; rows of scales on cheek 2; circumpeduncular scales 16; gill rakers 5 + 11 = 16; pseudobranchial filament count not made, owing to small size of specimen; vertebrae 9 + 16; epineurals 12.
Body moderately elongate and compressed, depth 3.5 in SL, width 2.2 in depth; head length (HL) 2.9 in SL; snout pointed, its length 3.6 in HL; orbit diameter 3.5 in HL; depth of caudal peduncle 2.1 in HL. Mouth small, terminal, and oblique, with maxilla almost reaching vertical at front edge of orbit; dentition typical of genus with three pairs of canine teeth present anteriorly at side of upper jaw, first forward-projecting, next two strongly recurved and outcurved, third longest; an irregular row of very small conical teeth medial to upper canines; lower jaw with a single stout pair of canines anteriorly which protrude obliquely outward and are slightly lateral to medial pair of upper jaw; no teeth on roof of mouth.
Posterior margin of preopercle with 29/27 very fine serrations; margins of posterior and ventral edges of preopercle free to about level of middle pupil. Anterior nostril in short membranous tube, located nearer to orbit than snout tip; posterior nostril larger, roughly ovoid to rectangular, located just medial and anterior to upper edge of eye. Scales cycloid; head scaled except snout and interorbital space; six large scales on opercle; a broad naked zone on membranous edge of preopercle; a row of large, elongate, pointed scales along base of dorsal fin, one per element, scales progressively shorter posteriorly on soft portion of fin; anal fin with a similar basal row of scales; last pored scale of lateral line (posterior to hypural plate) enlarged and pointed; one scale above and below last pored scale also enlarged; pectoral fins naked except for a few small scales at extreme base; a single large scale at base of each pelvic fin, about three-fourths length of pelvic spine.
Origin of dorsal fin above second or third lateral-line scale, predorsal length 2.7 in SL; first 1–5 dorsal-fin spines progressively longer, sixth to tenth subequal, eleventh longest, 2.3 in HL; interspinous membranes of dorsal fin in males extend beyond dorsal-fin spines, with each membrane extending in a pointed cirri beyond spine; eighth dorsal-fin soft ray longest, 2.0 in HL, remaining rays progressively shorter; origin of anal fin below base of tenth dorsal-fin spine; third anal-fin spine longest, 2.4 in HL; interspinous membranes of anal fin extended as on dorsal fin; anal-fin soft rays relatively uniform in length, eighth longest, 1.9 in HL; dorsal and anal-fin rays just reaching caudal-fin base; caudal fin rounded; pectoral fins short, reaching vertical between bases of fourth or fifth dorsal-fin spines, longest ray 1.8 in HL; origin of pelvic fins below lower base of pectoral fins; pelvic fins short, not reaching past anal fin origin, longest ray 1.8 in HL.
Based on color photograph of holotype when fresh (Fig.
Uniformly pale tan, median and paired fins translucent hyaline. No evidence of purple scale markings, likely due to immaturity and/or loss of coloration over time.
Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis
(non Randall & Emery, 1983): Randall and Anderson, 1993: pl. 6C (checklist, underwater photograph from Maldives);
Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa, sp. nov., not to scale A male holotype,
A species of Cirrhilabrus distinguished from congeners based on the following combination of characters: males with anterior third to half of body bright magenta, peach to orange-pink posteriorly; lateral line with 22–26 pored scales (16–18 in the dorso-anterior series, 6–8 in the posterior peduncular series); tenth to eleventh dorsal-fin spine longest (14.0–15.5% SL); scales on the opercle, chest, isthmus, and anterior third of the body with a dark purple-red central region, the markings joining to form a crosshatched appearance (purple in alcohol); dorsal, caudal, anal, and pelvic-fin rays purple in alcohol.
Dorsal-fin rays XI,9; all soft rays branched except first; anal-fin rays III,9; all soft rays branched except first; last dorsal and anal-fin ray branched to base; pectoral-fin rays 15 (right side removed in all three
Body moderately elongate and compressed, depth 3.2 (2.8–3.5) in SL, width 2.3 (1.8–2.8) in depth; head length (HL) 3.2 (2.8–3.3) in SL; snout pointed, its length 3.3 (3.3–4.0) in HL; orbit diameter 3.6 (2.8–3.8) in HL; depth of caudal peduncle 2.2 (1.9–2.2) in HL. Mouth small, terminal, and oblique, with maxilla almost reaching vertical at front edge of orbit; dentition typical of genus with three pairs of canine teeth present anteriorly at side of upper jaw, first forward-projecting, next two strongly recurved and outcurved, third longest; an irregular row of very small conical teeth medial to upper canines; lower jaw with a single stout pair of canines anteriorly which protrude obliquely outward and are slightly lateral to medial pair of upper jaw; no teeth on roof of mouth.
Posterior margin of preopercle with 35/36 (27–39) very fine serrations; margins of posterior and ventral edges of preopercle free to about level of middle pupil. Anterior nostril in short membranous tube, located nearer to orbit than snout tip; posterior nostril larger, roughly ovoid to rectangular, located just medial and anterior to upper edge of eye. Scales cycloid; head scaled except snout and interorbital space; 6 (6–7) large scales on opercle; a broad naked zone on membranous edge of preopercle; a row of large, elongate, pointed scales along base of dorsal fin, one per element, scales progressively shorter posteriorly on soft portion of fin; anal fin with a similar basal row of scales; last pored scale of lateral line (posterior to hypural plate) enlarged and pointed; one scale above and below last pored scale also enlarged; pectoral fins naked except for a few small scales at extreme base; a single large scale at base of each pelvic fin, about three-fourths length of pelvic spine.
Origin of dorsal fin above second or third lateral-line scale, predorsal length 3.2 (2.6–3.2) in SL; first 1–5 dorsal-fin spines progressively longer, sixth to ninth subequal, tenth to eleventh longest, 2.0 (2.0–2.4) in HL; interspinous membranes of dorsal fin in males extend beyond dorsal-fin spines, with each membrane extending in a pointed cirri beyond spine; eighth to ninth dorsal-fin soft ray longest (three paratypes with second dorsal-fin soft ray longest), 1.6 (1.5–2.3) in HL, remaining rays progressively shorter; origin of anal fin below base of 10th dorsal-fin spine; third anal-fin spine longest, 2.7 (2.4–3.5) in HL; interspinous membranes of anal fin extended as on dorsal fin; anal-fin soft rays relatively uniform in length, seventh to ninth longest, 1.6 (1.5–2.2) in HL; dorsal and anal-fin rays just reaching past caudal-fin base; caudal fin rounded; pectoral fins short, reaching vertical between bases of 6th or seventh dorsal-fin spines, longest ray 1.6 (1.3–1.7) in HL; origin of pelvic fins below lower base of pectoral fins; pelvic fins short, not reaching past anal fin origin, longest ray 1.4 (1.4–2.0) in HL.
Based on color photograph of holotype and paratypes when fresh, and live specimens photographed in the field and aquaria (Figs
Based on color photographs of holotype and paratypes when freshly dead, and live specimens photographed in the field and aquaria (Fig.
Similar to coloration in life, except head and body light tan to cream; edge of preopercle purple; dark purple-red scale markings now purple; dentary, Angulo-articular, and bony edge of preopercle purple; segmented rays of dorsal, anal, caudal, and pelvic fins purple (Figs
The epithet is from the Dhivehi "finifenmaa", meaning rose, alluding to the live coloration of this species. The pink rose fiyatoshi finifenmaa (Rosa spp.) is also the national flower of the Maldives. To be treated as a noun in apposition. The common name is given after the facial patterns of the species.
Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa is presently known from Maldives and Sri Lanka, at depths ranging from 40–70 m (Fig.
Mitochondrial COI and 16S sequences for C. finifenmaa are publicly available on GenBank (accession numbers MH780161 and MH780159 respectively; previously identified and listed as C. rubrisquamis). We exercise caution in using other sequences presently identified as belonging to C. rubrisquamis, as these are likely to be C. finifenmaa.
Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis
:
In their description of Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis,
Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis is most closely related to C. apterygia from Western Australia, C. blatteus from the Red Sea, the newly described C. finifenmaa from the Maldives, C. sanguineus from Mauritius, and C. wakanda from East Africa. The six species form a clade of Indian Ocean species that belong to a larger group of fairy wrasses known as the C. jordani species complex, with species distributed across the Indo-Pacific (
Due to the lack of adequate material and muddled taxonomy of C. rubrisquamis, appropriate comparisons to related species of Cirrhilabrus is difficult. In particular, open questions remain regarding the taxonomic status of C. rubrisquamis and C. wakanda.
Both C. rubrisquamis and C. wakanda are most similar on the basis of coloration patterns, in particular the presence of purple chain-link markings across the dorsal two-thirds of the body. Both species also share similar morphometric details (Table
Recent underwater ROV explorations by the University of Plymouth Research Expedition to Egmont Atoll and Sandes Seamount in the Chagos Archipelago recovered in situ footage of fairy wrasses resembling C. rubrisquamis taken at depths between 60–70 m (Fig.
Underwater photographs of Cirrhilabrus from the Western Indian Ocean A harem of putative Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis. Male depicted in circular inset, females by white arrowheads B putative female C. rubrisquamis C putative terminal male C. rubrisquamis; Photographs taken from video footage provided by K Howell, N Foster, and C Diaz from the University of Plymouth Research Expedition to Egmont Atoll and Sandes Seamount in the Chagos Archipelago, 60–70 m D female C. wakanda, underwater photograph from Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa, 75 m E male C. wakanda, underwater photograph from Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa, 75 m F terminal male C. wakanda, underwater photograph from Moyette, off the coast of Mozambique, 100 m. Note fuchsia dorsal fin in all individuals and pale yellowish saddle in males. Photographs by LR (D, E) and P Plantard (F).
The distribution of C. wakanda in East Africa and C. rubrisquamis in the Chagos Archipelago presents a unique pattern of biogeography shared by few congeneric Cirrhilabrus. Within the Indian Ocean, there appears to be faunal distinction between the Chagos Archipelago from the rest of the Western and Eastern Indian Ocean in some, but not all taxa. This biogeographic connectivity has been reported for corals (
We thank Amanda Hay and Kerryn Parkinson (