Polylepion russelli (Labridae), a trans-Indo-Pacific species
How to cite: Béarez, P., Dettaï, A., & Gomon, M. F. (2013). Polylepion russelli (Labridae), a trans-Indo-Pacific species. Cybium, 37(4): 305-306. https://doi.org/10.26028/CYBIUM/2013-374-011
Russell’s wrasse, Polylepion russelli, is a relatively rare species known to inhabit deep reefs of a few Central and Western Pacific islands: Ryukyu Islands (Japan), Hawaii, and Moorea (Society Islands). This new record at Réunion Island, about 10 000 km to the West is surprising but identification was confirmed by morphometric characters and the CO1 gene sequence. This recent discovery could be linked to gaps in the sampling of the outer slopes reefs and the low density of the species.