Cirrhilabrus wakanda, the vibranium fairy wrasse,[1] is a species of fairy wrasse from mesophotic reefs at depths of in the western Indian Ocean off Tanzania and Mozambique.[2] [3] It was first collected off the coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania by scientists from the California Academy of Sciences.[4] Its separation from the very similar C. rubrisquamis of the Chagos Islands needs confirmation.[3]
The species is named after the fictional sovereign state Wakanda from Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.[5] [6]
Based on a small number of measured specimens, C. wakanda is up to about in standard length.[2] The body is moderately elongated and compressed. Males have yellow heads, with purple and blue bodies. Females and juveniles are very similar. Both sexes have a pair of prominent facial stripes above and below the orbit; and both sexes have notable purple scales and elements that persist and stain purple. A purple chain-link scale pattern is present, resembling the suit worn by the fictional superhero, Black Panther.[7]
In comparison with other closely related species in the genus, the mitochondrial DNA of Cirrhilabrus wakanda differs from C. rubrisquamis by 0.6%, from C. blatteus by 1.9%, and from C. sanguineus by 1.5%. Small genetic differences between closely related fairy wrasses are not unusual.[2] A later review found that the "C. rubrisquamis" used for comparison were from the population found to be a separate species, C. finifenmaa, in 2022. Consequently, a detailed, direct comparison with true C. rubrisquamis is lacking, but their appearance is very similar and it is possible that C. wakanda is a junior synonym of C. rubrisquamis.[3]