Cirrhilabrus xanthozonus, formerly known as Cirrhilabrus sp. “Papuan Fairy Wrasse” is a relatively new species for both aquarists and researchers. Discovered several years ago and officially announced as a new species in 2024 by Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN), there are no reports that this fish has ever been sold on the market before, even the images of it are exceedingly scarce.
Despite its apparent rarity, this species is expected to be quite abundant and relatively easy to encounter in the wild. Cirrhilabrus xanthozonus is found in relatively shallow waters and generally in association with coral-rich habitats from around West Papua.
The most outstanding feature to look for is the splash of yellow found along the sides of this fish. This is a recurring theme among this particular lineage of fairy wrasses, as seen on C. randalli, C. luteovittatus, and C. ryukyuensis. Out of the dozens of Cirrhilabrus species, Cirrhilabrus xanthozonus may prove to be the only one endemic to the reefs around West Papua.
It’s interesting that they expect it to be relatively common despite seeming rare—hopefully continued research confirms that.