Red handfish
Red handfish | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Lophiiformes |
Family: | Brachionichthyidae |
Genus: | Thymichthys |
Species: | T. politus
|
Binomial name | |
Thymichthys politus (Richardson, 1844)
|
The red handfish (Thymichthys politus, formerly Brachionichthys politus[a]) is a species of handfish in the genus Thymichthys, found in Frederick Henry Bay, Tasmania.[3]
Description[]
The red handfish is distinguished by its small, flattened wart-like protuberances that cover its body and red colouration. Two colour morphs exist, a bright red morph with red colour on both body and fins, with a black line separating the white fin edges and a mottled morph with pink body covered in many red patches, with translucent pink fins expressing some bright red patches. They measure an average standard length of 61.4 mm (2.4 in) and an average total length of 80.1 mm (3.2 in).[3] Like other handfishes, they have large developed pectoral fins, which they use to walk along the sea floor.[4]
Distribution[]
Historically, the species was found in multiple subpopulations in Tasmania, including Port Arthur, Fortescue Bay, the Actaeon Islands, D'Entrecasteaux Channel, and the Forestier Peninsula. Currently, the species has been found only on 2 small reefs in Frederick Henry Bay. These reefs measure a circular area of no more than 75 meters and 50 meters in diameter.[1] It is found at depth ranges from 1 m up to 20 m.[3]
Threats and conservation[]
General threats to red handfish include small, very fragmented populations and local increases in density of native purple urchins. Native purple urchins overgraze the seaweed habitat required for shelter and spawning for the red handfish. Summer observations of low seaweed on urchin barrens suggest that loss of seaweed habitat might represent a key threat to long term viability of the population In addition, the close vicinity of urban development increases the risk of nutrient runoff, pollution, siltation, and turbidity. This results in habitat degradation through the ruin of the red handfish's preferred seaweed habitat.
The red handfish is classed as Critically Endangered under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and by the IUCN, and as Endangered under Tasmania's Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.[2]
Footnotes[]
References[]
- ^ a b Stuart-Smith, R.; Edgar, G. & Last, P.R. (2020). "Thymichthys politus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2020: e.T123423510A123424379. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T123423510A123424379.en. Listed as Critically Endangered (CR B1ab+2ab;C2a)
- ^ a b "Thymichthys politus - Red Handfish". Species Profile and Threats Database. SPRAT Profile. Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (Australia). Retrieved 30 December 2021. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.
- ^ a b c Last, P.R. & Gledhill, D.C (2009). "A revision of the Australian handfishes (Lophiiformes: Brachionichthyidae), with descriptions of three new genera and nine new species.". Zootaxa. . 2252 (1): 1–77. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2252.1.
- ^ "Issues paper: Population status of and threats to four handfish species" (PDF). Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage. 2004. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
- Graham J. Edgar. (2017). New opportunities for conservation of handfishes (Family Brachionichthyidae) and other inconspicuous and threatened marine species through citizen science. ScienceDirect. 174-182. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2016.07.028.
- Jemima, Smith. (2020). Conservation challenges for the most threatened family of marine bony fishes (handfishes: Brachionichthyidae). ScienceDirect. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108831
- Lynch, Tim. (2015). Diver towed GPS to estimate densities of a critically endangered fish. ScienceDirect. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2015.08.009
These sources are from the science citation index. Specifically, they were found through the University of Illinois at Chicago database.
- IUCN Red List critically endangered species
- Brachionichthyidae
- Endemic fauna of Tasmania
- Marine fish of Tasmania
- Fish described in 1844