Wrasse ID please

[AdamNC]

Was sold to me as just a Fairy Wrasse.

 

[HairyGary]

I'll let the experts chime in but I am guessing female C. Plyei

 

[mahindra.dev]

@evolved @Labridaedicted

 

[evolved]

Oh, that one will fool a lot of guessers.
Cirrhilabrus flavidorsalis (it just happens to be mid-transition)

 

[HairyGary]

Oh, that one will fool a lot of guessers.
Cirrhilabrus flavidorsalis (it just happens to be mid-transition)

I just went with the percentage of unidentified female wrasses being C. Plyei. I guessed based on the black dot.

Had to look that one up. What's the give away on this one?

 

[AdamNC]

Oh, that one will fool a lot of guessers.
Cirrhilabrus flavidorsalis (it just happens to be mid-transition)

Thanks, anyway to tell if male or female?

 

[evolved]

I just went with the percentage of unidentified female wrasses being C. Plyei. I guessed based on the black dot.

Had to look that one up. What's the give away on this one?

The shape of the skull puts it into the lubbocki complex. Females there also have that black caudal spot.
Then see the hint of yellow coming across the whole dorsal fin?

Thanks, anyway to tell if male or female?

Mid-transition meaning transitional male. aka sub-male.

 

[evolved]

There's a chance I missed the mark slightly and it is lubbocki - but I don't think so because I'd expect some blues to be popping out on the sides of the fish at this stage. Time will tell though, but I'll place my $20 wager where it lies.

 

[AdamNC]

Well there is no blue on it and if price helps it was $36.00 from my LFS. Looking at it in the light it looks very much like what you said.

 

[HairyGary]

There's a chance I missed the mark slightly and it is lubbocki - but I don't think so because I'd expect some blues to be popping out on the sides of the fish at this stage. Time will tell though, but I'll place my $20 wager where it lies.

That's not much of a wager. ;Happy I do see the yellow though.

 

[evolved]

Well there is no blue on it and if price helps it was $36.00 from my LFS. Looking at it in the light it looks very much like what you said.

I'm pretty confident between the two.
The other piece in my decision is that there's been a recent batch of flavidorsalis in the market.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Lubbocki can have the yellow dorsal as well, but it looks like it is developing some of the vertical markings of flavidorsalis.

 

[AdamNC]

ok not my pic but this is exactly what it looks like.

photo by Joel Sartore

 

[HairyGary]

Well that settles it I guess @evolved gains $20 bucks for his big boy wrasse fund. C. flavidorsalis

 

[HairyGary]

ok not my pic but this is exactly what it looks like.

photo by Joel Sartore

Congrats on the addition!