https://mymodernmet.com/rainbow-fairy-wrasse-fish/
"Do you remember the rainbow fish with glittery scales who taught generations
of children about sharing? Marcus Pfister's classic children's book The Rainbow
Fish tells the story of how sharing the gifts we are given is a beautiful act.
While they might be literary famous, rainbow fish do in fact exist. Scientists
in the Maldives have formally described a new species of rainbow-colored
fish—the rose-veiled fairy wrasse or
Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa—and published
their findings in ZooKeys.
According to their research, the brilliantly-toned fish live in the “twilight
zone” of the ocean in the deep waters off the coast of the Maldives. Yellow,
red, orange, and violet give these little fish a flame-like appearance. First
documented in the 1990s, the fish were originally thought to be the adult
version of the red velvet fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis). However,
comparing the two species in recent research has shown the rose-veiled fairy
wrasse to be its own species. It has a different appearance and different DNA.
“What we previously thought was one widespread species of fish, is actually two
different species, each with a potentially much more restricted distribution,”
says lead author and University of Sydney doctoral student Yi-Kai Tea in a
statement. “This exemplifies why describing new species, and taxonomy in
general, is important for conservation and biodiversity management.”"
Via Joyce_Donahue.
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
