A New Species of Fairy Wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae: Cirrhilabrus) from Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems of the Verde Island Passage, Philippines
The new species, Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, is described on the basis of the holotype and six paratypes collected from mesophotic coral ecosystems of the Verde Island Passage, Philippines, between depths of 82 and 110 m. The new species is most closely related to Cirrhilabrus pylei, but it differs primarily in the presence of: more pored scales on the posterior lateral line (7–9 vs. 5–6); a lower number of circumpeduncular scales (14 vs. 16); a lower number of gill rakers (16–17 vs. 18–20); and differences in coloration details of the dorsal and caudal fins. Both species differ from all other congeners in sharing the following combination of characters: pelvic fins very long (56.5–70.0% SL), often extending past anal-fin terminus in males; caudal fin scintillating and iridescent in males; dorsal fin with sinuous scribbling in both sexes; anterior dorsal fin with a metallic blue spot on first one to two interspinous membrane spaces; snout with three parallel stripes from maxilla to anterior edge of orbit; and rest of head with a network of short broken pinstripes in both sexes. These characters are also distributed in part amongst other species of Cirrhilabrus, in particular, C. katoi, C. lineatus, C. rhomboidalis, and C. rubrimarginatus, and their putative relationships are discussed on the basis of meristic, morphometric, and molecular sequence data. We briefly comment on the variability of morphological characters within Cirrhilabrus and their implications towards phylogenetic classification, with remarks on methods for data collection for species of Cirrhilabrus.
Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, new species, freshly euthanized holotype, PNM 15518 (formerly CAS 238389), male, 54.9 mm SL, collected at a depth of 95 m, Maricaban Island, Philippines. Photograph by L. A. Rocha.
X-radiograph of Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, new species, holotype, PNM 15518 (formerly CAS 238389), 54.9 mm SL. Radiograph by J. S. Fong.
Freshly euthanized paratypes of Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, new species. (A) BPBM 41374 (formerly CAS 238392), 65.7 mm SL, male; (B) CAS 238392, 59.8 mm SL, female; (C) AMS I. 49028-001 (formerly CAS 238389), 58.2 mm SL, male; (D) CAS 238389, 49.6 mm SL, female. Specimens from 95 m, Maricaban Island, Philippines. Photographs by L. A. Rocha.
Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, new species, and Cirrhilabrus pylei in life. (A, B) Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, new species, aquarium photographs of specimens from Verde Island, Philippines; (C, D) Cirrhilabrus pylei, aquarium photographs of specimens from Vanuatu. Note the series of parallel stripes on the snout. Specimens not retained. Photographs by S. K. Tea (A), E. Fleishauer (B), F. Walsh (C), and K. Kohen (D).
A selection of species of Cirrhilabrus in life. (A) Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, new species, aquarium specimen in nuptial display from Verde Island, Philippines; (B) Cirrhilabrus katoi, aquarium specimen at rest from Cagayan, northern Philippines; (C) Cirrhilabrus pylei, aquarium specimen in nuptial display from Vanuatu; (D) Cirrhilabrus rubrimarginatus, aquarium specimen in nuptial display from Fiji; (E) Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis, aquarium specimen at rest from the Marshall Islands; (F) Cirrhilabrus lineatus, aquarium specimen at rest from the Coral Sea, Australia. Specimens not retained. Note the similarities in snout and head patterns in these species, and the dorsal- and anal-fin markings for C. rubrimarginatus, C. rhomboidalis, and C. lineatus. Photographs by H. Tanaka (A), Ameblo, Japan (C), and Y. K. Tea (B, D, E, F).
Bayesian phylogenetic estimate of relationships among selected species of Cirrhilabrus inferred using mitochondrial COI. Paracheilinus angulatus was used as the outgroup. Support values at nodes correspond to posterior probability and likelihood bootstrap percentages. Six specimens of the new species are shown collapsed in purple. See Data Accessibility for tree file.
A sparring pair of male Cirrhilabrus temminckii, in situ photograph from southern Japan. Note the iridescent caudal fin of the individual in the foreground, and the greatly elongate pelvic fins. Photograph by J. Nagura.
Contributor Notes
Associate Editor: M. T. Craig.