Maldives Marine Research Institute (MMRI) has revealed a species of fish discovered in the Maldives has been officially named in the Dhivehi language.
The fish species has been named Cirrhilabrus Finifenmaa or Rose-Veiled Fairy Wrasse.
MMRI stated the fish was named after the country's national flower, the pink rose, due to its vibrant pink hue.
The species was discovered by MMRI in collaboration with the California Academy of Sciences and the Field Museum. The institutes are collaborating under the Hope for Reefs initiative, which aims to better understand and protect coral reefs around the world. MMRI stated it found new records of the fish species 50 to 150m beneath the ocean's surface in the unexplored coral ecosystems in the Maldives.
Cirrhilabrus Finifenmaa was previously thought to be the adult version of a different species. However, researchers collected data and conducted genetic analysis on both adults and juveniles of the species to discover that Cirrhilabrus Finifenmaa is a unique species.