Your students inspire me David! So today I will do a twitter post of every fish I’ve described and the etymology behind their names! Starting with Cirrhilabrus isosceles, the pintail fairy wrasse. The name isosceles is given for the triangle region of color on the caudal fin. https://twitter.com/whysharksmatter/status/1252250202322468864

Next up, Synchiropus sycorax, the Ruby Dragonet. The name sycorax was given after the Sycorax Warriors from the BBC Sci-Fi series Dr. Who. These are lesser known race of intergalactic plunderers, and their red capes, robes, and white masks reminded me of this fish!

This beautiful fish is Plectranthias takasei, the Hinomaru Perchlet. The name is given after Wataru Takase, who collected the type series. The common name Hinomaru means “circle of the sun”, in reference to the big red circle on the fish that is reminiscent of the Japanese flag.

This beautiful fairy wrasse is Cirrhilabrus efatensis, the Hooded Fairy Wrasse. The name is an eponym, after the type locality, Efate Island, Vanautu. The common name refers to the bright red “hood” that covers much of its face and anterior body.

We named this fiery wrasse Cirrhilabrus shutmani, the Magma Fairy Wrasse. This species is found in an underwater volcano in the Philippines, hence the common name. The species name is given after Barnett Shutman, who provided us with the type specimens.

This is a rather special one. Navigobius kaguya, Kaguya’s Dartfish. The name is given after the protagonist, Princess Kaguya, of the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. The name was selected by high school students in a poll, as an effort to get students interested in taxonomy.

One of my favorites! Pseudanthias tequila, the Cave Anthias. This colorful and cheerful fish was named after the similar colored cocktail Tequila Sunrise (and after my tequila phase in university ).

Another fairy wrasse! Sheesh. This one is Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis, the blue-throat fairy wrasse. The common name is a translation of the Latin name, which is a fairy description of its appearance! The males of this species have a very blue throat!