Please say hello to Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa, the rose-veiled fairy wrasse, a freshly explained fish that looks like it could be a My Little Pony of the sea. The magical-looking animal gets its name from the Dhivehi language of the Maldives where it lives. “Finifenmaa” means rose.A rose-veiled fairy wrasse swims off the coast of the Maldives.
Luiz Rocha/California Academy of Sciences
The California Academy of Sciences called the small coral-reef-dwelling fish a “mesmerizing new addition” and a “multicolored marvel” in a release on Tuesday.The rose-veiled fairy wrasse had actually been concealing in plain sight. It was very first studied by researchers in the 1990s but was incorrectly thought to be a recognized types. The new research study took a fresh look at the fish, including its size, scales and color, and discovered it was a new-to-science species.The scientists now have a much better concept of the range of the new types and the one it was confused for. Said research study co-author Luiz Rocha of the California Academy of Sciences: “It speaks with how much biodiversity there is still left to be explained from coral reef environments.” Maldives Marine Research Institute biologist Ahmed Najeeb (left) and Academy Curator of Ichthyology Luiz Rocha inspect a fish specimen in the Maldives.
Claudia Rocha © California Academy of Sciences
The fish is a stunner, but its significant for more than its good appearances. It marks the very first time a Maldivian researcher has actually officially explained a brand-new fish types. Maldives Marine Research Institute biologist Ahmed Najeeb is co-author of a study on the fish, released in the journal ZooKeys this week.In the Academy of Sciences release, Najeeb said its “constantly been foreign researchers who have described species discovered in the Maldives,” without local researchers having much participation. “This time it is different,” he stated, “and getting to become part of something for the very first time has been truly interesting, specifically having the opportunity to work together with top ichthyologists on such a elegant and gorgeous types.”.
Hey there, gorgeous. The rose-veiled fairy wrasse has been explained by scientists for the very first time.
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Please say hello to Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa, the rose-veiled fairy wrasse, a newly explained fish that looks like it could be a My Little Pony of the sea. It marks the very first time a Maldivian researcher has actually formally described a new fish species. Maldives Marine Research Institute biologist Ahmed Najeeb is co-author of a research study on the fish, released in the journal ZooKeys this week.In the Academy of Sciences release, Najeeb stated its “always been foreign scientists who have explained species found in the Maldives,” without regional researchers having much involvement.