Tag Archives: marine life

➤ A big red hand please for this tiny rare fish!

Red Handfish ,Thymichthys politus,

Pushy little Red Handfish (Thymichthys politus) © Michael Baron, Eaglehawk Dive Centre

DIVERS HAVE DISCOVERED a new population of what may be the world’s rarest fish, possibly doubling the number believed to exist. Only 20 to 40 of the critically endangered Red Handfish (Thymichthys politus) were thought to live off the coast of Tasmania, Australia. Instead of swimming, the strange little fish scuttles along the seabed on four red pectoral fins that look like hands. Another population of at least eight fish a few miles away was announced this week by a team from IMAS and the Reef Life Survey (RLS) at the University of Tasmania. More detail on video here:

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