INCREDIBLY RARE HANDFISH DISCOVERED BY DIVERS DURING A SUNKEN SHIP EXHIBITION

Divers off the coast of the Tasmanian Peninsula came across an odd sight while investigating a sunken shipwreck. They were initially taken aback by what they saw, but a closer look revealed that they had found an incredibly rare creature hiding inside the ship's hull. The handfish is the name given to the small, pale pink aquatic animal. This is an extremely rare sighting because they are critically endangered.

The handfish is a species about which very little is known, and scientists think that this was the first sighting of the species in its native habitat. Their hand-like fins, which they utilised to crawl along the ocean floor, gave rise to their name. The species was once more widespread, but habitat loss and pollution have caused a significant decline in its population. This may help to explain why this specific fish was living inside of a sunken ship. Scholars surmise that they share a kinship with the anglerfish, albeit without the menacing mandibles that have made their relative so well-known.