We’ve posted plenty of aberrant butterflies, angels and tangs but have you ever wondered why we’ve not been posting any aberrant fairy wrasses? For some strange reason, major aberrations seem to be pretty rare and nearly unheard of in the Cirrhilabrus genus.
The aberrant C. luteovittatus posted above and left is one of the few that we’ve seen. C. luteovittatus is commonly offered for the trade and is collected from the Marshall Islands. What sets these two specimens apart from the norm is the unusual amount of yellow it has. Normally, this fish is a deep velvety purple with a single yellow stripe that runs down the middle of the body.
The two aberrant individuals here sport the yellow coloration all over the body and have completely over taken the purple coloration that it normally dons. It bears a striking, almost perfect resemblance to Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis. Pretty interesting don’t you think?
