Pink Handfish
📖 Overview
Pink Handfish (Brachiopsilus dianthus), first described by Last & Gledhill, 2009 is a small fish. Adults typically reach 10.00 cm in maximum length. It inhabits marine coastal and open-ocean environments. It occurs in Temperate waters. It feeds on a mix of small fish and invertebrates as a mid-level predator. On the IUCN Red List, it is classified as Endangered.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 19 - 21; Anal spines: 9 - 10. Member of the genus Brachiopsilus with a combination of the following characters: esca of medium size, 29–38% of illicium length; illicium smooth, thin, not exceedingly fleshy, length 15–16% SL, 3–3.5 times in head length, 2.0–2.3 times in length of second dorsal-fin spine; with illicium adpressed, apex of esca situated above posterior half of eye; esca much wider than illicial stem, covered with dense, short, filaments; head slightly compressed; moderate-sized eye (horizontal diameter 6–7% SL); mouth narrow; lips fleshy with irregular folds; body and fins entirely naked in adults (except for scales associated with pores of the acoustico-lateralis system); 5 sensory pores above eye; long first dorsal-fin base (length 26–30% SL); second dorsal-fin rays 17–18, fin base 73–76% SL; length of second dorsal-fin spine 1.3–1.5 times length of longest ray of second dorsal fin; 9–10 anal-fin rays, length of anal-fin base 38–39% SL; 9–10 pectoral-fin rays; very short caudal peduncle (length 1–2% SL); caudal fin of medium size, its length much longer than fin rays of pectoral fin, length 3.2–4.0 times caudal peduncle depth; body pinkish red, darker reddish brown markings along dorsal fin margins remnant in preservative.: elongated; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Pink Handfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 38 m . Temperate; 43°S - 44°S Indian Ocean: Australia: Tasmania.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
👥 Community & Contribute
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