The world's fairy wrasses of the genus Cirrhilabrus

[yikai]

A thread just for fairy wrasses.

Here shows all species of Cirrhilabrus known to man at the moment.

Enjoy

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus temminckii

Temminck's fairy wrasse

The true Temminck's fairy wrasse is found in the Izu peninsula to the Ryuku Islands. There are many closely related variants found in Indonesia and western Australia. These are not the true Temminck's fairy wrasse, but represent different species, from the "Temminckii-complex".

Nuptial males display blue-white colouration over most of their back.

First 2 pictures of an unexcited male, last picture of a male displaying nuptial colouration.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus cf temminckii 1

Blue-lined fairy wrasse.

This is the first variant of the "temminckii complex", which is a group of fairy wrasses that look very identical to the true Temminck's fairy wrasse. This is variant 1. The scientific name has a "cf" between genus and species name, which means confer, inferring the similarity and comparison between the true temminckii.

From Indonesia and Malaysia, Taiwan and southern Japan. This is the most common variant offered in LFS.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus cf temminckii 2

This variant of the temminckii complex occurs in western Australia, and is not avaialble to us. Lacks the black pigmentation on the pectoral fin base which other variants of "temminckii-complex" possess.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus katherinae

Katherine's fairy wrasse

From Izu Island Japan and the Mariana Islands in Guam. Females are red with a yellow dorsal region and head. Males are closely related to Cirrhilabrus punctatus.

First 2 pictures of a male, last picture of a harem of females and juveniles.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus balteatus

Girdled fairy wrasse

This is a Marshall Island endemic, which means it is found only in the Marshall Islands. It resembles Cirrhilabrus katherinae. Forms small schools over coral or rubble. Males swim high in the water to feed on zooplankton. The Girdled fairy wrasse is part of the "temminckii-complex" but is the easiest to differentiate, with the presence of a large orange blotch on the body.

Females are reddish and dull, very rare in the trade.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus beauperryi

Beauperry's fairy wrasse.

Very closely related to Cirrhilabrus punctatus, but is known only from the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. Adults are greenish ocre above, reddish sides and blue ventrally. Very long ventral filaments. Small blue spots extend well towards median fins. Juveniles and females are look alot like C. punctatus and are almost indistinguishable.

First pic of a male, 2nd pic of a nuptial male.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus punctatus

Fine-spotted fairy wrasse.

Wide range in Australia and nearby islands, adults are brown to dark green-blue on sides and are white ventrally. Many small blue spots scattered on the body and median fins. Juveniles are small, brown with white snout.

Fijian variants appears to be a different species, sometimes with yellow streaks on the body.

first pic of a female, 2nd pic male, 3rd pic male.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura

Blue-sided fairy wrasse.

Andaman sea to Java, they are found in coastal and inner reefs, and form large schools. Males have a patch of scales with purple margins in the center of the body.

There is a "cyanopleura-complex" which includes several undescribed species in Bali and Flores.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus lyukyuensis

Yellow-flanked fairy wrasse.

Japan and Philippines, Malaysia and Northern Indonesia. They are rare in Bali and are occasionally found swiming together with Cirrhilabrus solorensis and Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura. Used to be considered a variant of C. cyanopleura but considered a new species.

First pic male, 2nd pic females.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis

Orange-back fairy wrasse.

Known only from Tomini Bay, Sulawesi. Occurs in small groups in depths of 25m. Males are orange dorsally and have a pink stripe beneath, to the caudal penducle. Females look similar, juveniles are brownish.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus cf solorensis

Restricted to northern Bali to Flores Sea. Dull grey head with orange backs. Sub-males look like C. cyanopleura.

First 2 pics male, last pic female.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus solorensis

Solar Wrasse

Indonesia, from Flores and Banda Seas to North-eastern Sulawesi and west to Bali. Eyes are bright red and males have purple band on the edge of gill cover.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus cf cyanopleura

Females are very distinct with pink head and parts of the body. Males look virtually identical to C. cyanopleura. The difference in female colouration for both species indicate that this is a different, undescribed species.

First pic female, 2nd pic females and male.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus randalli

Randall's fairy wrasse.

Known only from Rowley Shoals and Scott & Hibernia Reefs in the Timor Sea, both regions way off the north-western Australian coast. A geographical variation of the "cyanopleura-complex". The yellow band has developed similarly to C. lyukyuensis, another sibling species.

Extremely rare in the trade and none to date, have been imported. This species is not on fishbase.org

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus

Velvet fairy wrasse.

Known from eastern islands and atolls of Micronesia and Marshall Islands. Males have a distinct yellow band behind pectoral fin to the caudal penducle. Occurs in small groups along reef margins and over rubble substrate.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus condei

Conde's fairy wrasse.

Papua New Guinea to northern Great Barrier Reef and Fiji. Occurs in groups. Males display in 2 forms. One form is very unique, with only the front 2/3 of the dorsal fin erected. Dorsal fin has a black margin.

A gorgeous species when displaying.

First pic of an unexcited male, 2nd pic of a male flashing (var 1) and 3rd pic of another male flashing (var 2). Take note of the dorsal fin in the 2nd variant of flashing. Only the first 2/3 is erected.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus marjorie

Marjorie's fairy wrasse.

Coral Sea, Fiji region. Males are readily identified by the distinctive colour pattern. Red dorsally and stark white ventrally. Dorsal fin have a black margin. In deeper waters, the brilliant red colouration may appear blue-black. Females look very similar to other species including Cirrhilabrus walindi, C. flavidorsalis, C. cenderawasih, C.tonozukai, C. adornatus, in being plain pink with a black spot on the caudal penducle.

A gorgeous gorgeous species. Named after Bruce Carlson's wife, Marj.

Pics of 2 males.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus walindi

Walindi fairy wrasse.

Eastern New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Occur on rubble slopes with rich invertebrate-growth. Usually seen in small groups of mostly females and males swim loosely between them or higher above the substrate. Reported to dwell as shallow as 10m in Kimbe Bay but occur mostly at 40-50m depth. Males readily identified by the black blotches and lunate tail. Females are pink and virtually identical to some other female fairy wrasses.

First pic of a male, 2nd pic of a male/female pair.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus cenderawasih

Cenderawasih's fairy wrasse.

West Papua. Closely related to C. walindi. Males have a bright yellow blotch on it's sides. Females virtually identical and indistinguishable from some other species.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis

Red-fin fairy wrasse.

Philippines to northern Indonesia. Lives on open rubble substrates with short algae and sparse coral or sponge growth at 30-40m. Occurs in small groups, each with a single male. Males have large dorsal and anal fins which are bright red and erected during display. Ventral fins with long filaments.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus tonozukai

Tono's fairy wrasse.

Eastern Sulawesi: Lembeh Straits to the Banggai Islands and Palau. Females resemble other species and are virtually indistinguishable. Males have a dorsal filament with red anal fins. Similar in shape to Cirrhilabrus filamentosus.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus filamentosus

Whip-fin fairy wrasse.

Southern Indonesian waters, from Java and Timor seas. Occurs on deep muddy coastal slopes and is primarily known from deep water trawls. Very aggressive.

First pic of an unexcited male, 2nd pic of a male flashing.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis

Rosy-scale fairy wrasse.

Maldives, Chagos Archielago and Sri Lanka region. During displaying of nuptial colouration, whole body turns white and red is reduced to head area.

first picture of a flashing male, 2nd picture of an unexcited male.

[yikai]

Cirrhilabrus flavidorsalis

Yellow-fin fairy wrasse.

Philippine to northern Indonesia and Flores seas. Males are highly variable in colour with dorsal fin colours from yellow to red to blue. Females look virtually identical to some other fairy wrasses.