Cirrhilabrus pylei

Cirrhilabrus pylei
Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, a species that historically was confused with C. pylei (see text)
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Labriformes
Family:	Labridae
Genus:	Cirrhilabrus
Species:	C. pylei
Binomial name
Cirrhilabrus pylei G. R. Allen & J. E. Randall, 1996

Cirrhilabrus pylei, commonly called the blue-margin fairy-wrasse or Pyle's wrasse,[2] is a species of fairy wrasse. It can be found in depths of 55 to 82 m (180–269 ft) in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu;[1] reports from the Philippines is due to confusion with C. briangreenei.[3] C. pylei can be kept in aquariums and is known for its peaceful temperament. The fish has also been known to jump from tanks.

Description

C. pylei has a typical adult length of 3 to 5 in (7.6–12.7 cm).[4] The species has 11 dorsal spines, nine dorsal soft rays, 3 anal spines, and 9 anal soft rays.[5] The species has a coloration of peach to salmon.[6] Until 2020, it was commonly confused with C. briangreenei of the Philippines; the most distinct differences are that adult males of C. briangreenei have a large blackish spot on the dorsal fin and a blackish tip of the tail, which are lacking in C. pylei.[3][7]

Behavior

The species is carnivorous and in an aquarium setting it will feed on small animal prey like brine shrimp and mysis shrimp.[8]

Etymology

The specific name of this fish honours the ichthyologist Richard Pyle.[5] of the Bishop Museum (Honolulu), who collected type specimen.[9]

References

1. Rocha, L.; Suharti, S.; Pollard, D. (2010). "Cirrhilabrus pylei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T187580A8574054. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187580A8574054.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
2. "ADW: Cirrhilabrus pylei: CLASSIFICATION". animaldiversity.org. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
3. Tea, Yi-Kai; Pyle, Richard L.; Rocha, Luiz A. (2020-02-24). "A New Species of Fairy Wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae: Cirrhilabrus) from Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems of the Verde Island Passage, Philippines". Copeia. 108 (1): 91. doi:10.1643/CI-19-297. ISSN 0045-8511. S2CID 213676236.
4. "Marine Aquarium Fish Genus Profile: Wrasses of the Genus Cirrhilabrus". m.liveaquaria.com. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
5. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Cirrhilabrus pylei". FishBase. August 2019 version.
6. "3.1 Fairy Wrasses: The rubrimarginatus group". Reef Builders | The Reef and Marine Aquarium Blog. 2015-08-02. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
7. Adams, J. (24 February 2020). "Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, an Old Aquarium Fish is a New Species of Fairy Wrasse". ReefBuilders. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
8. "Saltwater Fish for Marine Aquariums - Sunset Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus pylei)". Fishy Business Aquatics. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
9. "Order LABRIFORMES: Family LABRIDAE (A-h)". 16 June 2020.