A spectacular terminal male Cirrhilabrus lanceolatus debuts in Singapore

For hardcore wrasse lovers, Cirrhilabrus lanceolatus needs no introductions. For the less avid wrasse aficionados, here’s a little short intro before we dive into the story proper. Cirrhilabrus lanceolatus is a deepwater  japanese endemic not to be confused with Cirrhilabrus…

Cirrhilabrus lanceolatus in nuptial display is a sight to behold

Cirrhilabrus lanceolatus is a japanese endemic fairy wrasse that is so beautiful and so rare, its almost cruel and karmic how unobtainable it is. Most reefers are familiar with the rose-banded fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus roseafascia) which closely resembles the lanceolatus fairy…

Cirrhilabrus sanguineus – Red Blotched Fairy Wrasse Collected in Mauritius

Cirrhilabrus sanguineus, the red-blotched fairy wrasse is a very rare, deepwater species of fairy wrasse from the Indian Ocean that we’ve never personally seen in the aquarium trade. A few lonely specimens of Cirrhilabrus sanguineus have made their way to Asia…

Cirrhilabrus isosceles finally gives the pintail fairy wrasse a name

Cirrhilabrus isosceles is the 51st member of the fairy wrasse genus, and one whose time to receive official scientific description has been long overdue. Long referred to as C. cf lanceolatus or the Pintail Fairy Wrasse, this is a fish that packs…

4.0 Cirrhilabrus laboutei & the Origins of Fairy Wrasse Diversity

At last, we’ve reached the thrilling conclusion to this comprehensive review of Fairy Wrasse evolution, and it’s time to once more dwell upon the topic of the group’s origins. As we’ve previously discussed, this enormously diverse genus can be comfortably categorized…

Awesome Fish Spotlight: Cirrhilabrus roseafascia from the Coral Sea

Among the two dozen or so most commonly encountered fairy wrasses, the elusive rose banded fairy wrasse, Cirrhilabrus roseafascia is not among them. This species is a relative newcomer to the documented fairy wrasse group, having only been described in 1982.…

Is Japan really home to any endemic Fairy Wrasses? Cirrhilabrus katoi disagrees

The reefs of Japan are known to harbour unique fauna found nowhere else on this earth. Rife with endemics, species such as Centropyge interrupta, Chaetodon daedalma, Genicanthus takeuchii, Chromis mirationis and a whole hodgepodge of other reef fish call this…

1.3 Fairy Wrasses: The lanceolatus group

The members of the lanceolatus group are some of the largest and showiest fairy wrasses, collectively celebrated for their grandiose caudal fin and chromatic brilliance. The group spans most of the Indo-Pacific, with its various species occupying a series of…

0.0 Fairy Wrasses: A review of the genus Cirrhilabrus

Fairy wrasses are some of the most ubiquitous fishes in the marine aquarium trade, which is why it may come as a surprise to learn that the group has never received a serious taxonomic review. The scientific literature is filled…

Awesome Fish Spotlight: Cirrhilabrus rubrimarginatus in nuptial display

Today’s Awesome Fish Spotlight features an opulent member of the wildly popular genus Cirrhilabrus, more affectionally known as the Fairy Wrasses. Cirrhilabrus rubrimarginatus is a common species with a wide distribution across much of the Western Pacific, from Japan through…