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The feisty fairy wrasses turned to a neon kaleidoscope all thanks to a coral reef species pump. Fairy wrasses are swimming jewels, dancing, and flouncing around coral reefs.
The finger-length fishes arrogant, vibrant courtship exhibitions are meant for mates and competitors, and a recent study proposes that the gentle waxing and waning of ice sheets glaciers and ice sheets may be partially accountable for such a variety of performances.
(Photo : Jannet Serhan)
Colorful Reef Fishes
Scientists reported on the 23rd of February in Systematic Biology that a recent genetic analysis of over three dozen fairy wrasse species details the approximately 12 million years of evolution that created their wide assortment of colors, shapes, and behaviors. And the schedule of these transformations means that over 60 species of fairy wrasses may owe their great diversity to cyclic sea-level alteration over the previous few millions of years.
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Fairy wrasses are swimming jewels, flitting and flouncing about coral reefs. The finger-length fishes’ brash, vibrant courtship displays are meant for mates and rivals, and a new study suggests that the slow waxing and waning of ice sheets and glaciers may be partly responsible for such a variety of performances.
A new genetic analysis of more than three dozen fairy wrasse species details the roughly 12 million years of evolution that produced their vast assortment of shapes, colors and behaviors. And the timing of these transformations implies that the more than 60 species of fairy wrasses may owe their great diversity to cyclic sea level changes over the last few millions of years, scientists report February 23 in
Diversification of the stunningly colourful fairy wrasses was propelled by sea-level changes during the last ice age, according to an Australian study published in the journal Systematic Biology.