Gerald R. Allen, John E. Randall and Bruce Allan Carlson

aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, pp. 113-118, Volume 7, Issue 3 – October 2003

Abstract

Cirrhilabrus marjorie, new species, is described from 3 specimens, 52.4-60.1 mm SL, collected at the Fiji. Males are distinctively patterned with a brilliant red back and bold black margins on the dorsal and caudal fins. Although similar in general coloration to C. bathyphilus from deep reefs of the Coral Sea, it differs in having a double emarginate caudal fin (with produced lobes) in males, rather than slightly emarginate, and more gill rakers on the first branchial arch (18-19 versus 13-15). The caudal fin shape of C. marjorie is unique among Cirrhilabrus, being shared only by C. exquisitus from the Indo-west Pacific. However, the latter species differs markedly as regards male coloration. The only other species with produced fin lobes are C. lunatus from the Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan, and the Ogasawara Islands, and C. johnsoni Randall (1988) from the Marshall Islands. Males of both these species have strongly lunate caudal fins, with the upper and lower rays forming filamentous extensions. Moreover, both have fewer (13-17) gill rakers, and males differ markedly in overall coloration (especially the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins which are dark blue to blackish in C. lunatus and bright red in C. johnsoni).

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REFERENCES

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