| Family: |
Brachionichthyidae (Handfishes) |
| Max. size: |
9 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range - 6 m |
| Distribution: |
Southwest Pacific: Endemic to Tasmania. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal soft rays (total): 18-19; Anal soft rays: 9-10. This species is distinguished by the following combination of characters: large esca, 45-65% (mean 52%) of illicium length (including esca); short illicium, thick and fleshy, no dermal spinules, length 14-17% SL, 3-3.4 times in head length, well separated from upper jaw (pre-illicial length 3.3-7.9% SL); moderate size eye, 6.9-9.3 times in head; body variably covered with small, close-set flattened warts but no well-developed dermal flaps; posterior margins of warts usually with a small, sharp, prostrate spine (mostly embedded with its tip sometimes visible); deeply embedded scales, widely spaced; second dorsal-fin rays 16-17, fin base 63-71 (mean 67)% SL; length of second dorsal-fin spine 0.7-1 times length of longest ray of second dorsal fin; anal-fin rays 9-10; pectoral-fin rays 9 (rarely 10); body variable shades of red, often paler ventrally; often bluish or blackish near dorsal tips of pectoral and pelvic fins, and along margins of dorsal, anal and caudal fins (Ref. 82446). |
| Biology: |
A benthic species (Ref. 75154) which occurs in inshore waters (Ref. 7300, 75154), most often observed underneath algal canopies (Ref. 132909). Rare and cryptic, particularly vulnerable to extinction (Ref. 132909). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 30 April 2018 (B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v); C2a(i)) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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