This strange-looking anglerfish, which is only found on two tiny patches of reef off Tasmania, could be one of the world’s most endangered fish.
Name: Red handfish (Thymichthys politus)
Where it lives: Two 164 feet (50 meters) patches of reef off the coast of Tasmania, Australia
What it eats: Small crustaceans, worms and mollusks
Why it‘s awesome: If you imagined a tiny fish with hands for fins, a moody downturned mouth and an extravagant mohawk, you might come close to visualizing the red handfish.
This type of anglerfish grows no more than 4 inches (10 centimeters) long and can come in a range of reds, browns and pinks — often with brighter colors around the edges of its fins. Unique markings on individuals can also be used to tell these weird-looking animals apart.
Unlike many fish, this bizarre animal, which lives on the seabed, doesn’t have a swim bladder for buoyancy. Instead, its pectoral fins have evolved into large “hands” to help it move around by walking across the seafloor.
“It’s an amazing curiosity of evolution,” Andrew Trotter, leader of the red handfish conservation breeding project at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), told Live Science in an email. “While walking with fins is rare, some fish can even do this on land. The loss of a swim bladder is a common trait among many benthic fish, as fine-tuned buoyancy control is no longer needed.”
Despite their odd appearance, experts working with them find them quite endearing. “Of course you would have to say they are a bit cute,” Trotter said.
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