New species of wrasse - Mardi Gras Wrasse

[OUsnakebyte]

Got this from the AquaticInfo listserve today:

 

The Mardi Gras wrasse! A new species of fish described from the Flower Garden Banks

 

The description of a new (to science) species of coral reef wrasse has been published in the December 2007 issue of the journal /Copeia/. The article, written by former Flower Garden Banks NMS research specialist Doug Weaver and co-author Luis Rocha is titled: "A new species of Halichoeres (Teleostei: Labridae) from the western Gulf of Mexico"

(/Copeia/ 2007(4): 798-807). This species was nicknamed the "Mardi Gras wrasse" by sanctuary staff due to the bright purple, yellow and green coloration of the terminal male phase. The fish was originally discovered at the East Flower Garden Bank by members of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) in 1997, and has been periodically observed (primarily at Stetson Bank) since that time.

Subsequent investigation by Doug Weaver and sanctuary staff confirmed that it was in fact a previously undescribed species of wrasse. The scientific name of the species is /Halichoeres burekae/, in honor of FGBNMS photographers Frank and Joyce Burek (and previous Environmental Heroes), who obtained the first photograph of the fish. The mardi gras wrasse has also been reported from the Vera Cruz region of Mexico. You can see the article at

http://www.asihcopeiaonline.org/perlserv/?...007&issue=4

 

 

Here is a look at it:

 

http://www.digimorph.org/specimens/Halicho...holotype/whole/

 

Click on the pictures to get a better look.

 

Cheers

Mike

[lanman]

Got this from the AquaticInfo listserve today:

 

The Mardi Gras wrasse! A new species of fish described from the Flower Garden Banks

 

The description of a new (to science) species of coral reef wrasse has been published in the December 2007 issue of the journal /Copeia/. The article, written by former Flower Garden Banks NMS research specialist Doug Weaver and co-author Luis Rocha is titled: "A new species of Halichoeres (Teleostei: Labridae) from the western Gulf of Mexico"

(/Copeia/ 2007(4): 798-807). This species was nicknamed the "Mardi Gras wrasse" by sanctuary staff due to the bright purple, yellow and green coloration of the terminal male phase. The fish was originally discovered at the East Flower Garden Bank by members of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) in 1997, and has been periodically observed (primarily at Stetson Bank) since that time.

Subsequent investigation by Doug Weaver and sanctuary staff confirmed that it was in fact a previously undescribed species of wrasse. The scientific name of the species is /Halichoeres burekae/, in honor of FGBNMS photographers Frank and Joyce Burek (and previous Environmental Heroes), who obtained the first photograph of the fish. The mardi gras wrasse has also been reported from the Vera Cruz region of Mexico. You can see the article at

http://www.asihcopeiaonline.org/perlserv/?...007&issue=4

Here is a look at it:

 

http://www.digimorph.org/specimens/Halicho...holotype/whole/

 

Click on the pictures to get a better look.

 

Cheers

Mike

 

Wonder when Johnny is going to get some in...

 

bob