Exquisite Wrasse, Cirrhilabrus exquisitus Smith 1957


Other Names: Exquisite Fairy-wrasse

A male Exquisite Wrasse, Cirrhilabrus exquisitus, at Peleliu, Koror, Palau. Source: Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist. License: CC BY Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike

Summary:
A greenish to reddish fairy wrasse with a complex colour pattern. Adult males are olive-green above becoming white, pale blue or pink ventrally, with an oval dark spot on caudal peduncle with its lower edge on the lateral line, a blue line sometimes broken from below the pectoral fin to the peduncular spot, an oblique blue line from the corner of the mouth running above the eye and along the dorsal-fin base, another line from behind the eye breaking up above the pectoral fin, and a third line from the the corner of the mouth to the upper edge of the pectoral-fin base; base of pectoral fin with a blue-edged black bar, pectoral-fin margin red; median fins with a variable amount of red. Juveniles and small females reddish with an oval blue-edged black spot on the caudal peduncle, and a white spot on the tip of the snout.

Cite this page as:
Dianne J. Bray, Cirrhilabrus exquisitus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/2968

Exquisite Wrasse, Cirrhilabrus exquisitus Smith 1957

More Info


Distribution

Ningaloo Reef and offshore reefs of Western Australia, Ashmore Reef, Timor Sea, and the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland; also Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean. Elsewhere, the species occurs in the Indo-west-central Pacific. 
Inhabits mixed coral/rubble areas on seaward reef slopes, usuallyt depths of  2-10 m.

Features

Caudal fin rounded in juveniles and females, double emarginated in males. 

Colour

Adult males olivaceous dorsally shading to white, pale blue or pink ventrally. With an oval black spot generally as large as or larger than eye posteriorly on caudal peduncle with its lower edge on the lateral line, a blue line sometimes broken extending from below peduncular spot to beneath pectoral fin. An oblique blue line from corner of mouth above eye to nape and continuing along base of dorsal fin, another from behind eye, breaking up above pectoral fin, and a third from the corner of mouth to upper edge of pectoral fin base, base of pectoral fin with a blue-edged black bar, the margin of fin red, median fins with a variable amount of red. Juveniles and small females red with an oval blue-edged black spot posteriorly on caudal peduncle, and a medial white spot at front of snout (Yeeting 2015).

Remarks

This is the most widespread species in the genus Cirrhilabrus, and may represent a complex of more than one species.

Species Citation

Cirrhilabrus exquisitus Smith 1957, Ichthyol. Bull., Dept Ichthyol., Rhodes Univ. 7: 109, Fig. 4; Pl. 2 (fig. E). Type locality: Pinda, Mozambique, 14°10'S, 40°41'E, western Indian Ocean.

Author

Dianne J. Bray

Exquisite Wrasse, Cirrhilabrus exquisitus Smith 1957

References


Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian reef fishes. A comprehensive guide to the coral reef fishes of Micronesia. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam.

Randall, J.E. 2005. Reef and Shore Fishes of the South Pacific. New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Yeeting, B. & Rocha, L. 2010. Cirrhilabrus exquisitus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T187461A8541585. . Downloaded on 12 October 2015.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37384080

Biology:Able to change sex

Conservation:IUCN Data Deficient

Depth:2-40 m

Fishing:Aquarium fish

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:11 cm TL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map