(CNN) Although the nation of Wakanda exists only in the Marvel Comics universe, where it is superhero Black Panther's home, researchers believe they have found a version of it underwater. And here, 260 feet below the surface in secretive reefs, the warriors accented with vibrant purple are fish.

Previously unknown, the fish species lives in dark coral reefs, called "Twilight Zone" reefs, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Tanzania. The fish are known as fairy wrasses.

The findings are detailed in a study published Thursday in the journal ZooKeys

Their scales are so deeply pigmented that the deep purple remains even during the preservation process, when color is usually lost.

The fish were discovered by scientists participating in the California Academy of Sciences' Hope for Reefs initiative, which aims to research and restore coral reef systems. The species went unknown for so long because their home is below recreational diving limits. Hope for Reefs divers are trained to research in the "Twilight Zone" reefs, which can be 200 to 500 feet beneath the surface.

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