Some species are so far-flung and common that you could be fortunate enough to spot a magpie or even an ant nearly every day . On the flipside , some metal money are much harder to find , and those in the deep sea can be so rare , they only make an appearance once every few yr . Now , scientists on a research vessel near Tasmania have keep ahandfish , the first specimen to be seen in 25 old age .
The CSIRO - head South - East Australia Marine Ecosystem Survey ( SEA - MES ) research vessel ( RV ) Investigator was on a survey to determine how the climate is move marine parks and fisheries . It has a deep tow photographic camera organization that constitute the handfish at 292 metre ( 958 feet ) deep off the northeast of Flinders Island in Tasmania in July .
The narrowbody handfish ( Pezichthys compressus ) was first find in 1986 and has n’t been seen in the state of nature since 1996 . However , scientists are n’t wholly certain which metal money they spy from the RV .
A previously discovered handfish specimen showing those unusual fins.Image Courtesy of CSIRO
“ We surmise it ’s a narrowbody handfish [ … ] This is as close as we can get without control others or collecting a sample fish , ” research technician Carlie Devine say in astatement . “ We ca n’t be 100 percentage indisputable which handfish species it is . ”
The handfish the squad observed was much bigger than the two specimens on record in the Australian National Fish Collection and was also observed around 100 km ( 621 miles ) away from where the have a go at it location of the last mintage was seen .
" I was pretty excited to ascertain the handfish . I know that this is a rare and special fish . And that the chances of see one in this environment and enchant it on the cryptic tow camera are very rare . It ’s an of import find , " said Dr Candice Untiedt , a nautical ecologist who was aboard the RV and identified the handfish .
Handfish are strange for more than their camera - diffident personalities , these fish move by “ walking ” along the seafloor on their fins . There are 14 known metal money of handfish with seven that be around Tasmania and the Bass Strait , including the spotted handfish that care toscoop first prizeat Ocean Art 2022 .
