| Family: |
Labridae (Wrasses), subfamily: Corinae |
| Max. size: |
6.75 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
pelagic-neritic; marine; depth range 80 - 90 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Central Pacific: Micronesia, Marshall Is. and Palau. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-11; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 12-12. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D IX,11; A III,12; pectoral-fin rays 13-14; lateral-line scales 27 (+1 on tail) and 1.5 scales above anterior lateral line to dorsal-fin base; scaleless head; gill rakers 14; a pair of large, forward projecting canine teeth anteriorly in each jaw, the lowers fitting between uppers when mouth is closed; few irregular short pointed but flattened teeth on each side of upper and lower jaws, absence of canine posteriorly at corner of mouth; very elongate body, depth 5.65 - 5.75 in SL; slightly compressed, its body width 1.4 - 1.55 in depth; caudal fin slightly rounded; terminal-phase male in life with yellow-green head and body, prominent jagged-edged iridescent blue stripes 2 along sides of body, a yellow spinous dorsal fin and a large black spot at base of mid-dorsal fin, caudal fin mostly black (Ref. 102105). |
| Biology: |
Found in deep rubble slope areas on reefs, the first specimen collected by the 1997 ‘Twilight Zone’ Expedition (BPBM, John Earle diving with Richard Pyle) at 80 to 90m depth in the famed Blue Holes dive site in Palau. Several individuals have been collected for the aquarium trade from similar depths in Majuro. However, the particularly deep habitat is very poorly sampled and surveyed and that the species may well have a wider range. Another deep-water wrasse, Cirrhilabrus earlei was also discovered on the same dive in Palau as P. zeus, and is also collected for the aquarium trade by the same commercial collectors in Majuro, and these are mainly shipped to Japan (Ref. 102105). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
| Country info: |
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