Discovery of extremely rare pink hand fish in the wreck of the SS Tasman

Divers exploring an SS Tasman shipwreck off the coast of Tasmania were in for a surprise when they discovered an extremely rare pink handfish and captured images of the nearly extinct creature This.

The handfish (Brachiopsilus dianthus) hides among coral-covered debris, with its pectoral fins extended like a hand. There have been very few encounters with the pink handfish since the species was discovered in 1947.

Close-up of the red hand fish on the wreck of the SS Tasman. (Photo: James Parkinson).

Divers noticed the fish during a dive exploring the Dutch steamer SS Tasman. Brad Turner, a member of the diving team that found the fish, said: 'We went there to explore the wreck, but the handfish caught everyone's attention.'

The remains of the SS Tasman - a steamship built in 1873 and used to transport goods and passengers - lie near the granite island of Hippolyte Rocks, 10km from mainland Tasmania. While trying to pass through a narrow passage, the ship sank when it hit an unexplored reef. 29 passengers and crew members escaped but left 75 cows on board.

The dive is part of a series of expeditions planned to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the ship's sinking.

At a depth of 70m, divers have 25 minutes to explore before returning to the surface. When the dive ended, they were horrified to discover a second pink handfish, just 10m away from the first fish.

B. dianthus is one of four endangered handfish species found in Tasmania. Unlike other fish, handfish do not have a swim bladder to control buoyancy underwater, so they stay close to the rocky sea bottom and can only swim short distances.