Named after Marvel’s mythical nation of Wakanda, a dazzling new ‘Vibranium’ fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus wakanda) with purple scales and a preference for deep 'mesophotic reefs' 80 metres below the surface. Photo: Dr Luiz Rocha/California Academy of Sciences



A new purple-clad fish species has been discovered in Africa living more than 60 metres beneath the ocean’s surface. Deep-diving scientists from the California Academy of Sciences’ Hope for Reefs initiative spotted dazzling fairy wrasses – previously unknown to science – in the dimly lit, deep coral reefs of eastern Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania.

With taxonomy specialist Yi-Kai Tea at the University of Sydney, the team confirmed a new species.

The multi-coloured wrasses sport deep-purple scales so strongly pigmented that they retain their colour, typically lost during preservation, when stored in ethanol for research. The scientists have named this “twilight zone” (or mesophotic) reef-dweller Cirrhilabrus wakanda (common name “Vibranium fairy wrasse”) in honour of the mythical nation of Wakanda from the Marvel comics and movie Black Panther.

The new fish is described today in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys.