Cirrhilabrus squirei is a new species of fairy wrasse from the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea which was first discovered and collected by Cairns Marine of Australia. The new fairy wrasse species is named after Lyle Squire and the Squire family who own and founded Cairns Marine.
Of all the fairy wrasses, C. squirei is one of only four species which sports a lyre-shaped tail the others being Cirrhilabrus johnsoni, C. lunatus and C. brunneus. Squire’s fairy wrasse mostly closely resembles Johnson’s fairy wrasse in having a strong lyretail and an overall reddish coloration but C. squirei is differentiated based on location, larger size and have distinctly yellow fin with black and lavender markings.
Cirrhilabrus squirei is unique among new species of fish as this particular fairy wrasse was well documented by the aquarium press (that’s us) and specimens of this fish being distributed to reef fish enthusiasts well before its official description. The new fairy wrasse is described by Fenton Walsh in the latest release of Aquapress.
