Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa, Tea & Najeeb & Rowlett & Rocha, 2022

Tea, Yi-Kai, Najeeb, Ahmed, Rowlett, Joseph & Rocha, Luiz A., 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, pp. 65-80 : 65

Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa sp. nov.

Rose-Veiled Fairy Wrasse Figs 2 , 3 , 4

Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis (non Randall & Emery, 1983): Randall and Anderson, 1993: pl. 6C (checklist, underwater photograph from Maldives); Randall 1995: figs 5-7 (preserved specimens, BPBM 33094); Hawkins et al. 2000: 85 (IUCN assessment); Allen et al. 2008: (in part [Maldivian distribution], checklist of valid species of Cirrhilabrus ); Kuiter 2010: 135 (color photographs A-C; aquarium specimens from Maldives); Allen et al. 2015: (in part [Maldivian distribution], checklist of valid species of Cirrhilabrus ); Hawkins et al. 2016: fig. 1 (fluorescence spectrometry of a male specimen); Tea and Gill 2017: fig. 8H (color photograph of an aquarium specimen from Maldives); Tea et al. 2018: fig. 10 (preserved specimen, BPBM 33094); Tea et al. 2019: fig. 5D (color photograph of an aquarium specimen from Maldives); Tea et al. 2021a (included as part of a phylogenomic study of the genus).

Holotype.

BPBM 33094, 69.2 mm SL, male, east coast of Vilingili Island, North Malé Atoll, Maldives, 52 m, collected by John E. Randall with quinaldine and spear, 23-25 March 1988 (Fig. 2A ).

Paratypes.

BPBM 41385 (formerly BPBM 33094) (5), 35.8-70.5 mm SL, 1 juvenile, 2 females, 2 males, collected with male holotype (Fig. 2C, E ); AMS I.50058-001 (3), 54.0-69.1 mm SL, 2 males, 1 female, Hulhumalé Island, North Malé Atoll, Maldives (4°14'6.66"N, 73°33'15.47"E), 35-40 m, collected by Ibrahim Rasheed with hand nets, 15 August 2021 (Fig. 2B1-B2, D1-D2, F1-F2 ); CAS-ICH 247311 (ex AMS I.50058-001), 57.2 mm SL, female, collected with AMS I.50058-001; ZRC 62259, 76.7 mm SL, male, aquarium specimen from Maldives (Figs 2G , 3 ); ZRC 62249, 54.2 mm SL, male, aquarium specimen from Maldives; ZRC 61604, 47.9 mm SL, female, aquarium specimen from Maldives.

Diagnosis.

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.

Description.

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 ZRC paratypes), upper two unbranched; pelvic-fin rays I,5; principal caudal-fin rays 7+6, uppermost and lowermost unbranched; upper procurrent caudal-fin rays 6 (6-7), lower procurrent caudal-fin rays 6 (5-6); lateral line interrupted, with dorso-anterior series of pored scales 17/17 (16-18) and midlateral posterior peduncular series 8/7 (6-8); 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 (6-7); median predorsal scales 5 (4-5); median prepelvic scales 6 (5-6); rows of scales on cheek 2; circumpeduncular scales 14 (14-16); gill rakers 5 (5-6) + 11 (9-12) = 16 (14-18); pseudobranchial filaments 11 (10-11); vertebrae 9 + 16; epineurals 13.

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.

Coloration of males in life.

Based on color photograph of holotype and paratypes when fresh, and live specimens photographed in the field and aquaria (Figs 2A, B1, C, D1, G, H , 3A , 4 ): head magenta to orange-red, red stripe present from mid-upper lip to mid-upper edge of orbit, continuing to anterior half of dorsal fin base; second stripe of similar color present from lower edge of maxilla to mid-lower edge of orbit; nape to predorsal region with four to five thin white stripes; preopercle prominently purple on outer edge; iris bright yellow with red ring around pupil; anterior third of body magenta to orange-red pink, remaining two thirds peach to orange-pink; scales on opercle, chest, isthmus and anterior third of body with dark purple-red central region, markings joining to form a crosshatched appearance; dorsal fin orange, sometimes flush with pink, becoming progressively hyaline posteriorly; outer edge of dorsal fin metallic blue; segmented dorsal-fin rays deep purple; basal two-thirds of caudal fin magenta to rose-red, remaining third metallic blue; caudal-fin rays deep purple; anal fin similar to dorsal fin; pelvic fins translucent orange, rays deep purple.

Coloration of females and juveniles in life.

Based on color photographs of holotype and paratypes when freshly dead, and live specimens photographed in the field and aquaria (Fig. 2E, F1 ): similar to male, except distinction between magenta head and anterior body from paler posterior two-thirds less prominent, sometimes suffused; coloration on median fins less obvious, appearing hyaline or pale orange-pink; juveniles similar to females, except uniformly suffused-pink; median fins pinkish hyaline.

Coloration in alcohol.

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 2B2, D2, F2 , 3B-D ).

Etymology.

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.

Habitat and distribution.

Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa is presently known from Maldives and Sri Lanka, at depths ranging from 40-70 m (Fig. 4 ). The species belongs to the C. jordani species complex, a group of deep-water fairy wrasses found mostly in mesophotic coral ecosystems. It is likely that this species occurs in greater depths. Like other species of Cirrhilabrus , C. finifenmaa frequents rubble bottoms scattered with loose coral cover.

Remarks.

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 .

Material examined.

Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis : ROM 35932 , 40.6 mm SL, juvenile holotype, Isla Fouquet , Peros Banhos Atoll , Chagos Archipelago. Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa : BPBM 33094, 69.2 mm SL, male holotype, east coast of Vilingili Island , North Malé Atoll , Maldives, 52 m, collected by John E. Randall with quinaldine and spear, 23-25 March 1988; BPBM 41385 (formerly BPBM 33094) (5), 35.8-70.5 mm SL, 1 juvenile, 2 females, 2 males, paratypes, collected with male holotype (Fig. 2C, E ); AMS I.50058-001 (3), 54.0- 69.1 mm SL, 2 males, 1 female, paratypes, Hulhumale Island , North Malé Atoll, Maldives, 35-40 m, collected by Ibrahim Rasheed with hand nets, 15 August 2021; CAS-ICH 247311 (ex AMS I.50058-001), 57.2 mm SL, female, collected with AMS I.50058-001 ; ZRC 62259 , 76.7 mm SL, male paratype, aquarium specimen from Maldives ( Figs 2G , 3 ) ; ZRC 62249 , 54.2 mm SL, male paratype, aquarium specimen from Maldives ; ZRC 61604 , 47.9 mm SL, female paratype, aquarium specimen from Maldives; Cirrhilabrus wakanda : CAS 246395, 70.3 mm SL, male holotype, east coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa , 75 m, collected by H.T. Pinheiro, B. Shepherd, and L.A. Rocha, 14 December 2018; CAS 246396, 56.8 mm SL, female paratype, east coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa, 70 m, 07 December 2018; CAS 246397, 61.3 mm SL, male paratype, same data as holotype; CAS 246398, 57.4 mm SL, female paratype, same data as holotype; CAS 246399, 54.3 mm SL, female paratype, same data as holotype .

Figures

Figure 2. Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa, sp. nov., not to scale A male holotype, BPBM 33094, 69.2 mm SL, Vilingili Island, North Male Atoll, Maldives B 1, B 2 male paratype, AMS I. 50058 - 001, 69.1 mm SL, Hulhumale Island, North Male Atoll, Maldives, in life and in preservation respectively C young male paratype, BPBM 41385 (formerly BPBM 33094), 57.6 mm SL, same data as holotype D 1, D 2 young male paratype, AMS I. 50058 - 001, 59.7 mm SL, Hulhumale Island, North Male Atoll, Maldives, in life and in preservation respectively E juvenile paratype, BPBM 41385 (formerly BPBM 33094), 35.8 mm SL, same data as holotype F 1, F 2 female paratype, AMS I. 50058 - 001, 54.0 mm SL, Hulhumale Island, North Male Atoll, Maldives, in life and in preservation respectively G male paratype in life, ZRC 62259, 76.7 mm SL, aquarium specimen from Maldives H male in nuptial colors, aquarium specimen from Maldives, specimen not retained. Photographs by the late JE Randall (A, C, E), AN (B 1 - B 2, D 1 - D 2, F 1 - F 2), and YKT (G, H).

Figure 3. Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa sp. nov., male paratype, ZRC 62259, 76.7 mm SL, (A) freshly euthanized (B) and in preservation. Note (C) purple scale markings forming a crosshatched pattern and (D) purple fin rays in preservation. Photographs by YKT.

Figure 4. Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa sp. nov., underwater photograph from Rasdhoo Atoll, Maldives, 60 m. Photograph by LAR.