Teleostei (teleosts) >
Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) >
Labridae (Wrasses) > Cheilininae
Etymology: Cirrhilabrus: Latin, cirrus = curl fringe + Greek, labros = furious (Ref. 45335); hygroxerus: From Greek hygros, meaning wet, and xeros, meaning dry, refering to monsoonal cycle of wet and dry seasons of northern tropical Australia; name also intended as acknowledgment of Monsoon Aquatics, the aquarium fish company that supplied all of the type specimens; species epithet a noun in apposition (Ref. 112597).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 18 - 37 m (Ref. 112597). Tropical
Eastern Indian Ocean: currently known only from a single reef area in the eastern Timor Sea, approximately 200 km north of Darwin, Australia (Ref. 112597).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.6 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 112597); 5.1 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 25. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D XI,9; A III,9; pectoral-fin rays 15; lateral-line scales 15-17 + 4-8; median predorsal scales 4-5; single horizontal scale rows on cheek below eye; gill rakers 11-14 (usually 13); body depth 3.3-4.0 in SL; head length 2.7-3.0 in SL; snout length 3.5-4.5 in HL; dorsal fin more or less uniform height except for elevated pennant comprised of membranous extension between 1st 2 spines, well-developed in mature males, 1.4-2.2 in HL; pelvic fins of male moderately elongate, reaching posteriorly to about base of 1st soft anal-fin ray, 2.6-3.2 in SL; caudal fin rounded; male in life mainly blackish on upper half of body and white below; upper half of head yellow orange; dorsal fin mainly blackish, anal fin scarlet red with row of blue spots at base; pelvic fins scarlet red with black area at base; pectoral fins with prominent black base; female in life yellow orange on upper 2/3 of head, grading to scarlet red on body; lower part of head, breast, and belly white; head and body with 4 narrow, lavender stripes; dorsal fin dusky red, yellowish basally, often with blackish or grey membrane between 1st 2 spines; anal and pelvic fins red-orange to pinkish; pectoral fins translucent with conspicuous yellow base (Ref. 112597).
Collected and observed in depths of about 18-37 m; the habitat appears to be localized to sloping rubble bottoms with scattered, low outcrops of rock or coral and occasional large coral outcrops (Ref. 112597).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Allen, G.R. and M.P. Hammer, 2016. Cirrhilabrus hygroxerus, a new species of fairy wrasse (Pisces: Labridae) from the Timor Sea, northern Australia. J. Ocean Sci. Found. 22:41-52. (Ref. 112597)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01585 (0.00707 - 0.03555), b=2.95 (2.76 - 3.14), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
