We have here a few images documenting what appears to be a Pictichromis diadema with an unusual magenta coloration.
Whereas P. diadema has a patch of magenta solely on the topside of it’s head and anterior part of the body and dorsal fin, this specimen has magenta all over it’s face, with the purple extending down the body and even on the underside. Interestingly, this Pictichromis has essentially the inverse coloration of Pictichromis caitlinae, a rare dottyback from Western New Guinea.
This is not the first time that a diadema dottyback has turned up with an unusual coloration. Dr. Hiroyuki Tanaka photographed a specimen from Malaysia with a heavy purple saddle on it’s body which shows the same outline-irregularity between the yellow and magenta as this dottyback from the Philippines. Big thanks to Junkai for sharing these original pictures with us.
