Nursalim Flasherwrasse, Paracheilinus nursalim Allen & Erdmann 2008


Other Names: Nursalim Flasher Wrasse

A male Nursalim Flasherwrasse, Paracheilinus nursalim, from Flinders Shoal, Northern Territory, depth 25-60 m. Source: Fenton Walsh / Cairns Marine. License: All rights reserved

Summary:
Males are yellowish-orange with a rectangular black patch on the lower rear of the body including the lower half of the caudal peduncle, an indistinct black patch on the back below the spinous dorsal fin, narrow blue stripes and dashes on the head and sides, 6-8 pale filaments on the dorsal fin, a deep red anal fin with a blue margin and a strongly lunate tail with horizontal blue streaks. Immature males are pale reddish with narrow stripes and dashes on the head and sides.
Females are mostly red with faint darker stripes along the head and sides, have a rounded tail, and lack elongate filaments on the dorsal fin (may have several short filaments).

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2023, Paracheilinus nursalim in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/5474

Nursalim Flasherwrasse, Paracheilinus nursalim Allen & Erdmann 2008

More Info


Distribution

Flinders Shoal, Timor Sea, about 200 km NE of Darwin, Northern Territory, depth 25-60 m. Elsewhere the species is only known from the Bird's Head Peninsula, West Papua, Indonesia. 
Inhabits gradual rubble slopes on partly sheltered reefs exposed to periodic strong currents. In Indonesia, the species mostly occurs at depths of 20-35 m. In the Triton Bay area, West Papua, the Nursalim Flasherwrasse may form large aggregations of about 30 males and several hundred females.

Features

Dorsal fin IX, 11; Anal fin III, 9; Pectoral fin 14; Lateral-line scales (pored) 11-16 + 3-10 = 14-26; Gill rakers 4-6 + 8-9 + 12-15.
Body depth 2.9-3.6 in SL. Terminal Phase males - caudal fin strongly lunate, with very pronounced filamentous lobes, filaments sometimes longer than SL; caudal fin length 1.6-2.4 in SL, caudal concavity 0.8-1.5 in HL; pelvic fins of males 1.6-1.8 in HL.

Colour

Terminal Phase males with 3–6 elongate, yellow filamentous dorsal-fin rays (bright white when in display); body with stripe pattern A’; body with two black rectangular epaulettes, one below spinous portion of dorsal fin, one along lower caudal peduncle (dusky in preservation); ground color of body yellow orange in life; central portion of caudal fin with intricate blue markings.Females (Initial Phase) reddish-orange grading to white on abdomen with numerous faint purple-to-bluish stripes, iris reddish orange.

Feeding

Feeds on zooplankton in the water column.

Similar Species

Differs from other species of Paracheilinus in having a pair of prominent blackish patches, one below the anterior dorsal fin and the other on the ventral half of the caudal peduncle.

Etymology

The species is "named at the request of Cherie Nursalim and Michelle Liem, who successfully bid to support the conservation of this species at the Blue Auction in Monaco on 20 September 2007, and who have given generously to support Conservation International’s Bird’s Head Seascape marine conservation initiative. The name honors their parents Sjamsul and Itjih Nursalim".

Species Citation

Paracheilinus nursalim Allen & Erdmann, 2008, aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology 13(3-4): 181, Figs. 2-4. Type locality: Pulau Semisarom, 3°51.292'S, 134°0.934'E, Triton Bay, Papua Barat Province, Indonesia, depth 25 m.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2023

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Nursalim Flasherwrasse, Paracheilinus nursalim Allen & Erdmann 2008

References


Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2008. Paracheilinus nursalim, a new species of flasher wrasse (Perciformes: Labridae) from the Bird's Head Peninsula of western New Guinea with a key to the species of Paracheilinus. aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology 13(3-4): 179-188. See ref online

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

Allen, G.R., Erdmann, M.V. & Yusmalinda, N.L.A. 2016. Review of the Indo-Pacific Flasherwasses of the genus Paracheilinus (Perciformes: Labridae), with descriptions of three new species. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation 19: 18-90 http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.46267

Kuiter, R.H. 2010. Labridae fishes: wrasses. Seaford, Victoria, Australia : Aquatic Photographics pp. 398.

Kuiter, R.H. & Allen, G.R. 1999. Descriptions of three new wrasses (Teleostoi [sic]: Perciformes: Labridae: Paracheilinus) from Indonesia and north-western Australia with evidence of possible hybridization. aqua, Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology 3:119–132. (as Paracheilinus sp. 2)

Liu, M. & To, A. 2010. Paracheilinus nursalim. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T187757A8623382. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187757A8623382.en. Downloaded on 07 December 2018.

Tea, Y.-K. & Walsh, F. 2023. Review of Australian species of Paracheilinus Fourmanoir (Teleostei: Labridae), with description of a new species from the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Ichthyology and Herpetology 111(3): 397-415. https://doi.org/10.1643/i202301

Quick Facts


Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Depth:5-60 m

Habitat:Aquarium fish (rare)

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:8 cm TL

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CAAB distribution map