abdera is a genus of false darkling beetles , in the family melandryidae .

it contains three species , two of which are extinct and were discovered in 2014 .

species are : abdera flexuosa abdera hoffeinsorum ( extinct ) abdera rikojotensis ( extinct )

abdera ( beetle )

the flat bark beetle pediacus depressus was last recorded in the area in 1889 and is normally found south of the line between the river severn and the wash . the nationally scarce false darkling beetle abdera quadrifasciata was last reported at dunham in 1867 and is also at the northern limit of its range .
another member of false darkling beetle family ( melandryidae ) emerged from inonotus fungus . they are running like crazy . . .
there were also two new discoveries for the site from the survey . the nationally scarce darkling beetle pseudocistela ceramboides was the furthest north it ' s ever been found and the nationally scarce hister beetle aeletes atomarius has not previously been recorded in the north west of england .
on july 10 th , 2010 one specimen of the false darkling beetle abdera affinis was found in the forest ' bienwald ' near büchelberg by using a light trap . the stenotopic , 2 . 5 - 3 . 5 mm large species develops in fungi , especially in alder bracket ( inonotus radiatus ) . it ' s known to occur from spain over central and northern europe till northern russia , but is missing in southeastern europe . a . affinis is recorded from virtually all federal states of germany , but is rather rare ( rl 2 ) .
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( both in the nominate subgenus ) , 7 spp . in 2 subgenera total
american beetles , volume ii : polyphaga : scarabaeoidea through curculionoidea arnett , r . h . , jr . , m . c . thomas , p . e . skelley and j . h . frank . ( eds . ) . 2002 . crc press llc , boca raton , fl .
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17 species of small to medium - sized ( 3 - 16mm ) , oval to elongate - oval beetles , found in association with fungi and fungoid bark , particularly in ancient woodland . generally black or brown in colour , some are brightly coloured or patterned : conopalpus testaceus ( olivier ) has a bright orange pronotum while osphya bipunctata ( fabricius ) have a red and black striped pronotum and legs . all the british species are rare , and all but orchesia undulata kraatz have conservation designations .
the tiny insects were last seen in dunham park during the reign of queen victoria .
however following a new survey by the national trust , new species were discovered in the area as well as some of insects last seen in the park at the end of the 19th century .
john hooson , national trust nature conservation adviser , said the creatures are often very difficult to find .
the techniques most often employed by surveyors is to beat dead branches and look for what drops out - but this relies on beating the right branches at the right time . otherwise traps can be put in place for weeks at a time to catch the beetles .
mr hooson said :
dunham is one of the most studied parklands in the uk , making this a very special discovery . these beetles are small and finding so many that haven ' t been seen since queen victoria was on the throne is remarkable and confirms that this is a special place for wildlife .
dunham park is famous for its veteran trees , which makes the area an ideal location for wood - decay beetles and it has been a popular area for scientists since the 1860s . the park is the fifth richest site for such specialist beetles in the british isles , supporting national and international rarities .
mr hooson added :
all species go through periods of relative scarcity or abundance due to a range of factors , such as a sudden abundance of habitat or lack of predators or parasites . it ' s possible that this latest survey coincided with a population peak for these species at dunham – they ' ve been here all of the time but just hiding away from the countless entomologists that have been looking for them .
seven rare , scarce and endangered species of fly were also found during the survey . this includes a fungus gnat , scythropochroa quercicola , which is only found at two other sites in britain , and a milichiid ( also known as freeloader flies as they share the prey of spiders ) , madiza britannica , previously recorded at three sites in somerset and cambridgeshire .
the false darkling beetles ( melandryidae ) are oblong to oval , small to medium - sized beetles . the species are found under the bark of old trees and on branches which are overgrown with fungi . some species are also found on flowers . worldwide approx . 1200 species in 100 genera have been described , thereof 32 species from germany .
scientists aim to describe a single ' tree of life ' that reflects the evolutionary relationships of living things . however , evolutionary relationships are a matter of ongoing discovery , and there are different opinions about how living things should be grouped and named . eol reflects these differences by supporting several different scientific ' classifications ' . some species have been named more than once . such duplicates are listed under synonyms . eol also provides support for common names which may vary across regions as well as languages .
eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .
to request an improvement , please leave a comment on the page . thank you !
if you have images for this taxon that you would like to share with nbn atlas , please upload using the upload tools .


handfish are any anglerfish within the family brachionichthyidae , a group which comprises five genera and 14 extant species .

these benthic marine fish are unusual in the way they propel themselves by walking on the sea floor rather than swimming .

handfish

encourage the participation of community groups in the monitoring of spotted handfish populations and other handfish species .
3 . community groups actively involved in the monitoring of spotted handfish populations and those of other handfish species .
spotted handfish recovery team ( 2002 ) . draft spotted handfish recovery plan . department of primary industries , water and environment , hobart .
recovery plan for the following species of handfish : spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) , red handfish ( brachionichthys politus ) , ziebell ' s handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ] ) , waterfall bay handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ] ) ( commonwealth of australia , 2005u ) [ legislative instrument ]
any form of fishing that degrades the benthic habitat can be considered to pose a threat to handfish species ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) .
the waterfall bay handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ] ) is now considered synonymous with ziebell ' s handfish . the waterfall bay handfish was previously listed separately under the epbc act ( tssc 2012by ) .
these unique spotted handfish are the ambassadors for csiro ' s captive breeding program .
spotted handfish use their fins like hands and feet , walking rather than swimming .
the species has also been called the prickly - skinned handfish and tortoiseshell fish .
the spotted handfish uses its hand - like fins to ‘walk’ along the seafloor .
the pattern of spots on the spotted handfish’s body is unique to each individual .
1 . spotted handfish populations re - established throughout areas of their previous range .
recovery plan for the following species of handfish : spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) , red handfish ( brachionichthys politus ) , ziebell ' s handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ] ) , waterfall bay handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ] ) ( commonwealth of australia , 2005u ) [ legislative instrument ] as sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ]
recovery plan for the following species of handfish : spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) , red handfish ( brachionichthys politus ) , ziebell ' s handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ] ) , waterfall bay handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ] ) ( commonwealth of australia , 2005u ) [ legislative instrument ] as sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ]
esp funds are required to contribute to the costs of monitoring re - introduced handfish .
dr tim lynch wants to stop the spotted handfish going the same way as the thylacine .
the aquarium mr fountain built for the handfish looks gloomy compared to a pet fish aquarium .
appendix a - haskard ( 1997 ) . power of tests for changes in density of handfish
we have received a number of very useful reports of handfish sightings ( both spotted handfish and other species ) from the general public during our work to date . these have , for example , identified spawning sites for red handfish and ziebell ' s handfish . very little is known of the population parameters for any endemic handfish species in tasmania . it is generally accepted that they are all very uncommon and have highly restricted distributions . we now know that , similar to spotted handfish , these species have a very limited capacity for reproduction and dispersal .
all species of handfish are currently protected under the tasmanian state fisheries legislation . this legislation prohibits the collection and retention of handfish from state waters without a permit . spotted handfish were protected under the commonwealth endangered species protection act in 1996 . spotted handfish have not yet been listed under the tasmanian state endangered species protection act , although a nomination is recommended under this recovery plan .
the spotted handfish is currently listed as critically endangered under the commonwealth and as endangered in tasmania .
the australian spotted handfish is conventionally accepted as brachionichthys australis ( last et al . 2007 ) .
scallop dredging is no longer permitted in the range of the spotted handfish ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) . danish seine fishing is prohibited in the derwent estuary and within one nautical mile of the shore ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) . in the mid - 2000s , there was only one danish seine fishing licence holder operating out of hobart ( pullen 2005 , pers comm . ) . whilst these restrictions on danish seine fishing provide some protection to known spotted handfish populations , danish seine fishing still occurs within the historic range of spotted handfish ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) .
the australian spotted handfish has a much wider geographic distribution and depth range than the spotted handfish , occurring mainly on the continental shelf of southern australia , from new south wales to western australia and including tasmania ( last et el . 2007 ) . the spotted handfish is endemic to southeast tasmania .
reductions in prey abundance , possibly related to decreases in benthic cover of seagrasses and alga that provide habitat for invertebrates , may impact upon handfish survival and reproduction ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) .
department of the environment ( 2014pb ) . draft recovery plan for three handfish species . canberra . urltoken
the spotted handfish , brachionichthys hirsutus ( lacepede , 1804 ) , is a small handfish ( maximum size 120 mm sl ) that is endemic to a restricted area of southern tasmania ( figure 1 ) .
meanwhile dr lynch and mr fountain will look for more spotted handfish to breed in their artificial river derwent .
the cause of the decline of the spotted handfish is yet to be accurately determined . suggested threats include :
the spotted handfish has a small lure just above its mouth , which might be used to attract prey .
the spotted handfish is classified as critically endangered ( cr ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
a more streamlined approach is required to deal with the increasing number of public enquires requesting information on handfish .
availability of suitable spawning substrate appears to be critical to the reproduction capacity of spotted handfish . due to their limited distribution and observed decline , all of the areas within which spotted handfish are found are considered important habitat .
it takes a village to raise a child , and it takes a number of organisations to raise a handfish .
environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 - section 269a - instrument revoking and jointly making a recovery plan ( spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) , red handfish ( brachionichthys politus ) , ziebell ' s handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ] ) , waterfall bay handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ] ) and jointly makes , with the tasmanian minister for the environment , the ' recovery plan for three handfish species ' ( 01 / 03 / 2016 ) ( commonwealth of australia , 2016b ) [ legislative instrument ]
the ziebell ' s handfish population has not been systematically surveyed ( deh 2005u ) . however , ad hoc surveys done by tasmanian dive groups suggest that the population of ziebell ' s handfish is small ( deh 2001 ) .
in aquaria , adult spotted handfish readily consume mysid shrimp and amphipods but will also accept small live fish . captive , newly hatched handfish do well on a diet of small amphipods ( bruce et al . , 1997 ) .
handfish commonly known and recognised by the general public and regularly cited as an example of a marine conservation issue .
in 1989 , an honours student from the university of tasmania attempted to gather information on the basic biology and ecology of the spotted handfish . surveys conducted at that time failed to locate handfish in areas previously renown for sightings . subsequently , only two spotted handfish were reliably reported between 1990 and 1994 . these results were the first indication that spotted handfish had suffered a substantial decline in abundance during the 1980ís . the decline prompted the threatened fishes sub - committee of the australian society for fish biology to list the spotted handfish as endangered in 1994 . subsequently , all species of handfish were protected under the tasmanian state fisheries legislation in 1995 . the spotted handfish was listed by the iucn as critically endangered in 1996 and it was listed under the commonwealth endangered species protection act , as endangered , also in 1996 .
environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 - section 269a - instrument revoking and jointly making a recovery plan ( spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) , red handfish ( brachionichthys politus ) , ziebell ' s handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ] ) , waterfall bay handfish ( sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t1996 . 01 ] ) and jointly makes , with the tasmanian minister for the environment , the ' recovery plan for three handfish species ' ( 01 / 03 / 2016 ) ( commonwealth of australia , 2016b ) [ legislative instrument ] as brachiopsilus ziebelli
rose , the mother spotted handfish , will protect her pole of eggs until they hatch in six to eight weeks .
the spotted handfish is one of the world’s most endangered marine fish , having undergone a massive decline in recent decades .
showed my boyfriend a photo of a handfish without saying anything and he labled it as the fish we saw in the shop . will definitely have to go back . it couldn ' t be a handfish and it will bother me !
ziebell ' s handfish are currently protected under the recovery plan for four species of handfish ( deh 2005v ) . the 2005 recovery plan was reviewed in 2013 by an expert panel that included representatives from department of the environment ( cwth ) , department of primary industries , parks . water and environment ( tas ) , commonwealth scientific and industrial research organisation , university of tasmania and derwent estuary program . this review noted that limited progress had been made on implementation of the recovery plan actions for ziebell’s handfish . the review concluded that threats to handfish species remained largely unchanged and known handfish populations had not demonstrably increased in size . the review recommended that a new recovery plan be developed for the three handfish species . the outcome of this review led to the development of the draft recovery plan for three handfish species ( department of the environment 2014pb ) .
the draft recovery plan for three handfish species ( 2014pb ) outlines a range of recovery strategies for the conservation of spotted handfish . the following recovery strategies have been designed to achieve the overarching objective of the recovery plan ; to ‘ensure an ecologically functional wild population of spotted handfish that , with limited site - specific management , has a high likelihood of persistence in nature :
bruce , b . ( 1998 ) . progress on spotted handfish recovery . on the brink ! . 11 : 9 .
tasmanian government ( 2003 ) . the spotted handfish - tasmania ' s next extinct species ? . available from : urltoken .
a secondary hypothesis for the decline in spotted handfish is the effect of accumulated contaminants in estuarine sediments . standard toxicity trials ( using a microbial standard ) will be used to compare differences between areas where handfish have been lost and between known colonies .
spotted handfish are currently protected under the recovery plan for four species of handfish ( deh 2005v ) . the 2005 recovery plan was reviewed in 2013 by an expert panel that included representatives from department of the environment ( cwth ) , department of primary industries , parks . water and environment , commonwealth scientific and industrial research organisation , university of tasmania and derwent estuary program . this review noted that there had been a sustained effort to implement recovery actions for the spotted handfish in the derwent estuary and recovery plan objectives had been partially met for this species . however , the review concluded that threats to handfish species remained largely unchanged and known handfish populations had not demonstrably increased in size . the review identified a number of relatively simple actions that could be implemented to boost the survival of the spotted handfish , and recommended that a new recovery plan be developed for the three handfish species . the outcome of this review led to the development of the draft recovery plan for three handfish species ( department of the environment 2014pb ) .
3 . 5 . 2 trialing the re - introduction of spotted handfish to areas where they previously occurred and monitor its success .
handfish superficially resemble the more commonly encountered anglerfishes ( antenariidae ) and this often leads to incorrect identification ( and subsequent misreporting ) by the general public . apart from aspects of their internal anatomy ( see pietsch 1981 ) , handfish can be separated from anglerfishes by the form of the first dorsal fin ( second and third spines connected by membrane in handfish ; separate in anglerfish ) and the location of the gill pore ( above and behind pectoral fins in handfish ; on ' elbow ' of pectoral fin in anglerfish ) .
the draft recovery plan for three handfish species ( department of the environment 2014pb ) outlines a range of recovery strategies for the conservation of ziebell’s handfish . the following recovery strategies have been designed to achieve the overarching objective of the recovery plan ; to ‘increase the understanding of the biology and ecology of ziebell’s handfish in order to conserve , and contribute to the future recovery , of the species’ :
spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) are a type of anglerfish that prefer to walk on their fins along the seabed rather than swim .
green , m . ( 2007 ) . implementing handfish recovery plan 2006 / 7 . report to biodiversity conservation branch dpiwe , tasmania .
the possible role of the northern pacific seastar in the decline of spotted handfish has not yet been established , although the timing of its discovery and subsequent increase in abundance matches the 1980ís period of spotted handfish decline . the seastar is now abundant in many areas wherespotted handfish were previously common . predation by northern pacific seastars on spotted handfish egg masses has not been observed in the wild , although this does not preclude it as a factor in the decline . northern pacific seastars have been observed feeding on the stalked ascidian commonly used as a spawning substrate within the derwent . it is thus possible that predatory loss of the ascidian may impact spotted handfish by reducing the available spawning substrate . this hypothesis is supported by recent observations at one handfish colony where a dramatic increase in seastar abundance coincided with very low numbers of ascidians and very little spawning activity by handfish ( bruce et al . , 1997 , bruce et al . , 1998 submitted ) .
dietary data for spotted handfish are sparse . last et al . ( 1983 ) reported that they preyed on small shellfish , shrimps and polychaete worms . the stomachs of two small , wild caught , juvenile spotted handfish contained amphipods ( bruce et al . , 1997 ) .
within the derwent estuary the estimated extent of occurrence for spotted handfish is approximately 70 km² , however the species area of occupancy is likely to be considerably less ( tss 2014sl ) . in frederick henry bay in 1999 , the area of occupancy was estimated at 0 . 3 km² ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) , however no handfish were located in this area during surveys in 2005 ( green 2005 ) .
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there are only sporadic records of the spotted handfish during the 19th and early 20th centuries but , with the advent of scuba equipment , numerous specimens were recorded in the derwent in the 1960ís and 1970ís . the spotted handfish was considered to be common throughout its range ( last & bruce , 1996 , last et al . , 1983 ) and , ironically , it was sometimes referred to as the common handfish .
there are three species of handfish endemic to tasmania , one of which has not been seen by divers in the wild for several years .
[ the spotted handfish ] have the dubious distinction of being the first marine fish to be listed as critically endangered back in 1996 .
due to their distribution in shallow coastal habitats in close proximity to urban and industrial areas handfish , particularly spotted handfish , are exposed to numerous impacts from anthropogenic activities ( dep 2013 ) . impacts to handfish populations from coastal developments can arise as a result of increased top soil runoff and sedimentation in surrounding waterways , while impacts from marine developments can occur due to the loss or modification of habitat ( dep 2013 ) .
handfish were once abundant around the globe but are now only found in waters off south - east australia , with most species endemic to tasmania .
almost totally hidden in the background , behind a pole , is a juvenile spotted handfish , collected at the same time as the two adults .
green , m . ( 2009 ) . handfish 08 - 09 . nrm south final report . report to biodiversity conservation branch dpiwe , tasmania .
the spotted handfish is a critically endangered species that lives in tasmania . it has an extremely restricted distribution due partially to its unusual life cycle .
spotted handfish feed by sucking in prey items ( 5 ) , including shrimps , small fish and small crustaceans such as amphipods ( 3 ) .
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the spotted handfish used to be found in waters around the state but is now restricted to the lower reaches of the river derwent and surrounding bays .
three spotted handfish were collected from the river derwent off the shore of battery point and taken to a tank at the csiro a few metres away .
scientists have begun a captive breeding program for the spotted handfish , 11 years after it became the first australian marine animal to be listed as critically endangered .
hale said the handfish’s ungainly appearance could go some way to explaining why it remains relatively unknown , despite being one of the most endangered animals in australia .
handfish of all types abounded around the world 50 million years ago but are now only found in waters south - east of australia , mainly around tasmania .
spotted handfish are endemic to south - east tasmania . currently , the only known populations of spotted handfish are located within the lower derwent estuary , with the only other recent sightings of spotted handfish consisting of the identification of two individuals in the d’entrecasteaux channel in 2013 ( green 2014 , pers . comm . ) . populations have previously been recorded in fredrick henry bay , the d’entrecasteaux channel and the northern regions of storm bay ( bruce et al . 1998 ) .
issues paper : population status of an threats to four handfish species listed as threatened under the environmental protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 ( deh 2005u ) .
collection of any handfish is an offence in tasmania unless a permit has been issued under the living marine resources management act 1995 ( tasmanian government 1995 ) .
identify the threatening processes that affect spotted handfish . strategies can be devised to overcome the effect of these agents based on a sound knowledge of their operation .
the pattern of spots on each spotted handfish appear to be unique , meaning we can identify individuals . they are members of the group of fish including deep sea anglerfish . there are a number of handfish species found in australian waters , with the majority of these being rare and restricted to the south - east .
the bottom - dwelling spotted handfish is found on coarse to fine sand and silt , in coastal waters from depths of 2 to 30 metres ( 3 ) .
spotted handfish are currently protected under the tasmanian state fisheries legislation and the commonwealth endangered species protection act ( 1992 ) . the recovery team will recommend that the spotted handfish also be listed under the tasmanian threatened species protection act and provide appropriate documentation in support of the listing . options for protecting specific areas or habitat of critical importance will be assessed in consultation between the recovery team and regulatory authorities . the recovery team will provide advice to relevant regulatory authorities on matters pertaining to handfish where required .
bruce and colleagues ( 1999 ) stated that the egg mass structure of ziebell ' s handfish is very similar to those of the spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) and red handfish ( thymichthys politus ) . egg masses have been found around sponges in depths of 20 m ( pogonoski et al . 2002 ) . on emergence , hatchlings have been observed settling in the immediate area surrounding the location of the egg mass ( deh 2001 ) . key biological attributes for this species include ( deh 2005u ) :
last , p . r . , d . c . gledhill & b . h . holmes ( 2007 ) . a new handfish , brachionichthys australis sp . nov . ( lophiiformes : brachionichthyidae ) , with a redescription of the critically endangered spotted handfish , b . hirsutus ( lacepède ) . zootaxa . 1666 : 53 - 68 .
a re - introduction trial will also test the survival of handfish in areas where previous impact has resulted in a population decline . such trials will utilise captive bred fish and identify if the threatening process is still operating , assist in its identification and pave the way for a more substantial re - establishment of spotted handfish across their range .
establishing the conservation status of tasmanian endemic handfish that are highly restricted in distribution requires a firm knowledge of the number of species involved . some handfish species are yet to be formally described ( eg ziebell ' s handfish ) and there are distinct colour morphs in different areas that may represent either a local colour pattern or different species entirely . if these colour morphs are different species , then these populations may be more restricted then originally thought . clarification of the number of species within the handfish family will require a combination of ( non - destructive ) genetic analyses and classical taxonomy . discussions have commenced with the university of tasmania to encourage a suitable student to carry out the work .
australia ' s csiro has produced a quicktime clip that outlines the conservation status of the spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) and demonstrates the tetrapod - like locomotion of brachionichthyids .
anecdotal evidence from the early–mid 2000s suggests that some handfish species are more active at night , but the species are still likely to be seen and / or collected during the day ( green 2003 , pers comm . , cited in ambs 2004 ) . spotted handfish breed in spring ( september to november ) . there were some indications in the early 2000s that during breeding time spotted handfish are more abundant in areas where there is spawning substrate ( green 2003 , pers comm . , cited in ambs 2004 ) .
due to the restricted distribution of known populations of ziebell’s handfish and their low dispersal , all areas in which they are found are considered important habitat ( deh 2005u ) .
there is very little published information on ziebell ' s handfish . information gaps for this species include precise information on habitat requirements , current distribution , current abundance and threats .
department of the environment and heritage ( deh ) ( 2001 ) . draft listing advice - sympterichthys sp . ( ziebell ' s handfish ) . environment australia , canberra .
last , p . r . , gledhill , d . c . & holmes , b . h . 2007 . a new handfish , brachionichthys australis sp . nov . ( lophiiformes : brachionichthyidae ) , with a redescription of the critically endangered spotted handfish , b . hirsutus ( lacepède ) . zootaxa 1666 : 55 , figs 1 - 2
ma green , and bd bruce , spotted handfish : distribution , abundance and habitat : csiro , hobart , tas . ( australia ) , dec 1998 , 29 pp .
last , p . r . and bruce , b . d . ( 1997 ) . spotted handfish . nature australia . 25 ( 7 ) : 20 - 21 .
while threats to ziebell ' s handfish have not been identified , personal collection and the aquarium trade have the potential to threaten populations by removing individuals from the wild . under the marine resources managment act 1995 ( tasmania ) , a person , in state waters , must not take or have possession of handfish without a permit ( deh 2005u ) .
dr lynch said spotted handfish were at high risk as they were only found in a handful of spots in the river derwent and one spot in the d ' entrecasteaux channel .
migration rates of spotted handfish between the ralphs bay population and other populations in the derwent estuary are likely to be low ( green 2005 ) . there is some thought that the ralphs bay population of spotted handfish is genetically unique , given the apparent isolation of this population and the large size of specimens observed there ( aquenal pty ltd , 2008 ) .
collection of spotted handfish is an offence in tasmania unless a permit has been issued under the living marine resources management act 1995 ( tasmania ) . however , the tasmanian department of primary industries , water and environment have never issued a permit for the take of handfish other than for the purpose of scientific research ( pullen 2005 , pers comm . ) .
handfish have among the narrowest ranges of any of the 4300 , or so , marine fish known from the australian region ( last et al . , 1983 , yearsley et al . , 1997 ) . five of the eight currently identified species are endemic to tasmania and bass strait ( last et al . , 1983 ) . the red handfish ( sympterichthys politus ) and an undescribed species ( ziebell ' s handfish , sympterichthys sp . ) appear to be confined to a few restricted , shallow reef habitats in south - eastern tasmania .
implement immediate management strategies based on our observations to date including trial enhancement of spawning areas by deployment of artificial spawning substrate , further development of captive breeding capabilities and trials to assess the suitability of areas where handfish were previously found for re - introduction . it is anticipated that re - introduction may become a key strategy for spotted handfish in the derwent estuary .
spotted handfish have a low breeding capacity . surveys conducted in the late 1990s concluded that the female lays 80 - 200 eggs that are held together in a vertical structure by threads ( last & bruce 1996–97 ) . in 2002 the species ' was found to attach their eggs to small , vertical , semi - rigid structures on the sea floor ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) . this included stalked ascidians ( sycozoa sp . ) , seagrasses , sponges , small macrophytic algae and polychaete worm tubes ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) .
green , m . a . p . and b . d . bruce ( 2002 ) . spotted handfish recovery plan 1999 - 2001 : year 3 . environment australia , canberra .
this species occurs in benthic ( seafloor ) environments in association with coarse to fine sand and shell grit or silt ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) . the species was recorded from depths between 2 - 30 m in 2002 , but observations around this time suggested that they are most common in depths of 5 - 10 m ( spotted handfish recovery team 2002 ) .
the spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) is a small fish that lives on the sea bed in the cool , sheltered waters of south - east tasmania . it has modified pelvic fins that look like “hands” , hence the name . while the handfish can swim when required , it usually uses the “hands” to “walk” across the seabed in search of food such as mysid shrimps .
never mind the tassie tiger — hobart ' s spotted handfish are super rare , found nowhere else on the planet and are really rather cute , in a weird - looking fishy way .
green , m . a . & b . d . bruce ( 2000 ) . spotted handfish recovery plan : final report : year 1 ( 1999 ) . environment australia , canberra .
the spotted handfish is endemic to south - eastern australia , occurring in the lower derwent river estuary , frederick henry bay , d ' entrecasteaux channel and the northern regions of storm bay .
the diet of ziebell ' s handfish is unknown but probably consists of small invertebrates ( pogonoski et al . 2002 ) such as crustaceans and worms ( edgar et al . 1982 ) .
gledhill & green ( unpub . ) . issues paper : population status of , and threats to , three handfish species listed as threatened under the environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 .
a poster will be produced and distributed to dive clubs , aquarium shops and professional fishing organisations ( eg abalone and urchin divers ) to encourage these groups to report sightings and promote the protected status of handfish . liaison with these groups will promote an effective exchange of information and provide the basis for developing a collective functional plan for endemic tasmanian handfish ( action 3 . 6 ) .
a suitable site for re - introduction trials will be located . the site must be within the historic range of spotted handfish ( preferably an historic ' hot spot ' ) and have suitable habitat .
supplying information ( on request ) for school and university student projects , authors of children ' s books , and the national mint ( enquiry for possible production of a coin depicting a handfish ) .
there are a number of reasons the handfish is listed as endangered . a small population , restricted distribution and vulnerable life cycle are key . habitat degradation and pest species have contributed to the species’ decline .
brachionichthys hirsutus ( spotted handfish , spotted - hand fish ) : species management profile for tasmania ' s threatened species link ( threatened species section ( tss ) , 2014sl ) [ state action plan ] .
there are survey guidelines for australia ' s threatened fish that include survey protocol fordetecting fish listed under the epbc act . this document contains information relevant to the surveying of spotted handfish ( dsewpac 2011i ) .
to secure existing populations of spotted handfish , reduce the chances of future decline , enhance populations in areas where numbers have been seriously depleted or lost and subsequently achieve down listing from the current endangered status .
the asfb threatened fishes sub - committee have listed ziebell ' s , the waterfall bay and the red handfish on their threatened species list , yet there are few data to confirm their current placements . by developing a community sighting network , we can cost effectively develop the database necessary to establish the status of these species , identify potential threats , maintain the diving public ' s interest in assisting with the recovery effort and continue to promote marine conservation and education issues . these species are more likely to be encountered by the diving public than spotted handfish ( because they occur in reef areas ) , however we have already had reports of spotted handfish from people diving across soft substrate areas ( eg for old bottles ) or near reef edges . thus the spotted handfish recovery effort will also directly benefit from a community reporting system .
the greatest threats to the handfish appear to be siltation and invasive species . the derwent estuary where the fish lives is highly urbanised and industrialised , and a range of marine pests have been introduced through shipping .
ensure the continuance of spotted handfish across their current distribution by developing and implement strategies to facilitate their recovery . the recovery team will continue to assess and revise , where appropriate , the direction of recovery actions .
endemic to tasmania , the spotted handfish or brachionichthys hirsutus looks like a tadpole in the late stages of development , with a fin atop its head to lure unsuspecting prey and the sour expression of a british bulldog .
artificial sticks for attaching eggs have been developed by csiro and planted throughout the estuary . there is some evidence that the handfish are already using the sticks , although it is unknown whether the eggs survive to hatching .
spotted handfish were bred successfully in captivity in the late 1990s ( bruce et al . 1997 ) . spotted handfish were initially bred in captivity in 1996 , however all of the juveniles in that trial died within 29 days of hatching ( bruce et al . 1997 ) . the cause of hatchling mortality was not fully understood but coincided with critical stages in the life history of the species ( bruce et al . 1997 ) .
barrett , n . , b . d . bruce , & p . r . last ( 1996 ) . spotted handfish survey . report to endangered species unit , anca . csiro div . fisheries , hobart .
green , m . a . & b . d . bruce ( 2001 ) . spotted handfish recovery plan 1999 - 2001 : progress report , end of year 2 ( 2000 ) . environment australia , canberra .
prior to the commencement of the interim research projects , the biology of handfishes was poorly documented . published accounts included brief aspects of their morphology , osteology and distribution ( see gomon et al . , 1994 , last et al . , 1983 , edgar et al . , 1982 , pietsch , 1981 ) . whitley ( 1949 ) described an adult female spotted handfish with eggs extruding from the body and a 14 mm juvenile verrucose handfish . last et al . ( 1983 ) reported thatspotted handfish attached its eggs to ' solid objects on the bottom via thin threads ' and that its diet consisted of small shellfish , shrimps and polychaete worms .
barrett , n . , bruce , b . d . and last , p . r . ( 1996 ) . spotted handfish survey . report to endangered species unit . anca . csiro div . fisheries hobart .
green , m . a . and bruce , b . d . ( 1998 ) . spotted handfish : distribution , abundance and habitat . final report to fishcare . csiro div . mar . res . hobart .
the longevity of spotted handfish is still yet to be determined ( bruce et al . 1999 ) , however there was some information made available on growth rate in the early 2000s . spotted handfish in the derwent estuary at two years old are approximately 70 mm in length ( green & bruce 2001 ) . in their third year of growth , specimens attain a further 5 - 10 mm in length , and approximately 2 mm every year thereafter ( green & bruce 2001 ) . this suggests that when spotted handfish in the derwent estuary are 100 mm long , they are 12 - 16 years of age ( green & bruce 2001 ) . however , most of the spotted handfish found at sites surveyed in the derwent estuary in the late 1990s to early 2000s were 81 - 90 mm in length , making them between 4 - 10 years of age ( green & bruce 2001 ) .
bruce , b . d . and green , m . a . ( 1998 ) the spotted handfish 1999 - 2001 recovery plan . department of the environment , water , heritage , and the arts , canberra , australia .
establish the essential biological characteristics ( including critical habitat requirements ) that underpin the dynamics of handfish colonies . population fluctuations and threats can then be interpreted , and the progress of management strategies against biologically realistic recovery objectives can be monitored .
hobart has already began to adopt the species as its own : a giant papier - mache handfish , dubbed jessica by its creator , the balinese artist ida bagus oka , was burned in effigy at the dark mofo festival in june .
common throughout the lower derwent estuary and adjoining bays prior to the mid 1980s , the spotted handfish has suffered a serious decline in distribution and abundance . only a handful of populations are now found around the mouth of the derwent estuary .
endemic to the lower derwent river estuary in tasmania , the spotted handfish was a relatively common species until the 1980s . the species has declined massively , however ; only three breeding colonies were known to exist in 1998 ( 3 ) .
the spotted handfish is considered to be vulnerable to extinction due to its highly restricted and patchy distribution , low population density , limited dispersal capabilities and a reproductive strategy of producing low numbers of demersal eggs that are highly susceptibility to disturbance .
the spotted handfish , which is the subject of a captive breeding program , used to be found in waters around tasmania but is restricted to the lower reaches of the river derwent and surrounding bays . photograph : auscape / uig via getty images
we thought with the decline of the handfish , at this moment while there ' s still some , it would be prudent to get some captive populations going for insurance purposes ,
dr lynch told ryk goddard on abc radio hobart .
department of the environment and heritage ( deh ) ( 2005u ) . issues paper : population status of an threats to four handfish species listed as threatened under the environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 . canberra . available from : urltoken .
handfish lack a larval stage and hatch as fully formed juveniles ( 6–7mm in length ) which move straight to the sea floor and appear to remain in the vicinity of spawning throughout their lives . this has two important consequences . first , colonies may be relatively isolated ( ie mixing between them is restricted ) and a reduction in spawning success may seriously impact on a colony . second , the ability for handfish to recolonise areas from which they have been displaced is likely to be low .
ziebell’s handfish are restricted to eastern and southern tasmania in widely disjunct populations ( last & gledhill 2009 ) . the species has been recorded at bicheno , forestier peninsula , tasman peninsula , actaeon islands and cox bight in depths of 10–20 m ( last & gledhill 2009 ) . the tasmanian underwater photography society only discovered the species during surveys in 1977–81 ( deh 2001 ) . ziebell’s handfish have not been observed , or systematically surveyed , for several years and the species’ current distribution is unknown .
just two spotted handfish were reported between 1990 and 1994 ; this dire state of the population led to the formation of the spotted handfish recovery team in 1996 ( 3 ) . the recovery team consists of a number of government agencies concerned with saving this rare , and bizarre , fish . research into existing wild populations and the development of captive breeding techniques are some of the priorities of the recovery plan ( 3 ) . initial work has been encouraging , with successful breeding attempts from two adult pairs of spotted handfish at the tasmanian department of primary industry and fisheries aquaculture ( 2 ) . a captive population may be used in a future re - introduction programme to restore these fish to some of their previous range ( 6 ) .
one of the first strategies to conserve the handfish was to give them full protection under fisheries legislation , preventing collection for aquariums . the species’ restricted distribution has worked in its favour , encouraging interest from the local community to clean up the estuary .
the relative age and growth of spotted handfish surveyed at frederick henry bay in the early 2000s has made it difficult to draw conclusions about the lifespan of the species generally . at this site , the spotted handfish appeared to grow larger and faster than at derwent estuary sites ( green & bruce 2001 ) . one specimen observed three times in 12 months had grown from 60 to 93 mm , which far exceeded growth rates observed at sites in the derwent estuary ( green & bruce 2001 ) .
bruce , b . d . , m . a . p . green & p . r . last ( 1997 ) . developing husbandry techniques for spotted handfish ( brachionichthys hirsutus ) and monitoring the 1996 spawning season . environment australia , canberra .
bruce , b . d . and green , m . a . ( 1998 ) the spotted handfish 1999 - 2001 recovery plan . department of the environment , water , heritage , and the arts , canberra , australia . available at : urltoken
bruce , b . d . and green , m . a . ( 1998 ) the spotted handfish 1999 - 2001 recovery plan . department of the environment , water , heritage , and the arts , canberra , australia . available at : urltoken
the overall objectives of the recovery process are to secure existing populations of spotted handfish , reduce the chances of future decline , enhance populations in areas where numbers have been seriously depleted or lost and subsequently achieve down listing from the current endangered status .
to achieve this , an information pack will be produced and distributed to school groups via the woodbridge marine discovery centre where an information display on handfish has already been established . the information pack will also be available to the general public on request .
bruce , b . d . , green , m . a . and last , p . r . ( 1998 ) . threatened fishes of the world : spotted handfish , brachionichthys hirsutus ( lacepede ) . environmental biology of fishes in press .
in 1998 / 1999 , 158 ( 37 % ) of 423 hatchlings survived in captivity to an age of 6 months ( green & bruce 2000 ) . all of these handfish were tagged and the surviving 155 ( three died after tagging ) were released at the site from which their parents had been captured ( green & bruce 2000 ) . however , in surveys post october 1999 no sightings of these tagged handfish were made , which suggests high mortality post release ( green & bruce 2001 ) .
there are nine known areas in the lower derwent estuary ( seaward of the tasman bridge ) where spotted handfish have been found and surveyed ( green 2005a , 2007a , 2009a ) . analysis of survey data in 2009 suggested a total abundance of 1500–2700 adult spotted handfish ( green 2009b ) , however there may have been decreases in total abundance within key populations since this time ( green 2014 , pers comm . ) . the calculated density of fish at a location in frederick henry bay during spring 1999 was about 45 per hectare ( green & bruce 2000 ; green 2005a ) , which would have represented an estimated abundance of 180–250 adult handfish ( green 2007b ) ; however surveys at this location failed to detect any spotted handfish in 2005 ( green 2005a ) . a reliable report was made with a photograph of a single specimen at a location in north west bay , at the northern end of the d’entrecasteaux channel ( deh 2005u ) , but the presence of a viable population has not been verified .
the csiro has been conducting an annual survey of handfish numbers for two years and this month collected its first specimens – an adult male named harley , an adult female named rose and an as yet unnamed juvenile – to begin a captive breeding program .
one key pest is the northern pacific seastar ( asterias amurensis ) , a particularly large and voracious predator that is now abundant in the estuary . studies by csiro show that the seastars eat the stalked ascidians that the handfish use to attach their eggs .
bruce , b . d . & m . a . green ( 1998 ) . non - current spotted handfish recovery plan 1999 - 2001 . ea . available from : urltoken . in effect under the epbc act from 16 - jul - 2000 .
spotted handfish are protected under tasmanian law and the commonwealth ' s environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 . over the last five years , the commonwealth government , through the natural heritage trust , has contributed over $ 390 000 to help ensure the survival of the handfish . these projects , which have included researching and monitoring existing populations ; public education and awareness raising ; and identifying threats , have been undertaken in conjunction with the tasmanian department of primary industries , water and the environment and the csiro .
surveys will count the number of handfish along 30 randomly positioned transects ( 100 metres long and 3 metres wide ) at each colony in autumn and spring . the surveys require a team of 6 divers for a period of three days at each colony .
the spotted handfish was common in the lower derwent river estuary until the mid 1980s , when the species underwent a catastrophic decline ( 2 ) . although unproven , it is thought that the introduction of the northern pacific seastar ( asterias amurensis ) to tasmania at this time may be the key to the decimation of the handfish population ( 3 ) . these seastars are voracious predators of shellfish and it is thought that they may also eat the eggs of handfish or the sea squirts upon which the eggs are attached ( 2 ) . the deterioration of coastal habitats due to development may also be involved in the decline ( 3 ) . this species is under added threat from its vastly reduced population , limited dispersal , restricted distribution and low reproductive rate ( 3 ) .
the spotted handfish has a very restricted and patchy distribution , low population density , limited dispersal capabilities and a reproductive strategy of producing low numbers of demersal eggs that are susceptible to disturbance ( bruce & green 1998 ; green 2014 , pers comm . ) .
the spotted handfish is pinkish above and white below , with darker orange , brown or blackish spots . it has a high first dorsal fin originating on the snout and a long based soft rayed dorsal fin . there is a long illicium on the snout .
the spotted handfish is endemic to the lower derwent river estuary and adjoining bays and channels ( figure 2 ) . spotted handfish appear to be distributed within colonies in restricted areas of their range , although the level of mixing between colonies is unknown . three reproductively active colonies are currently known , although isolated individuals are occasionally reported from other sites . due to the restricted area of colonies , their accessibility and concerns regarding either inadvertent or direct disturbance , neither the location of colonies , nor the location of recent sightings are reported here .
illegal collection for the aquaria trade may also pose a threat to handfish . while experts consider the likelihood of poaching to be low , the consequence of removing even a few individuals from the wild is considered to be severe given the small population size of each species .
the program will utilise dpif facilities at taroona where a culture room has been dedicated to the project . an improved filtration system is necessary to ensure a continuous supply of contaminant free seawater . another bank of larger aquaria is also required for on - growing juvenile handfish .
threatened species section ( tss ) ( 2014sl ) . brachionichthys hirsutus ( spotted handfish , spotted - hand fish ) : species management profile for tasmania ' s threatened species link . department of primary industries , parks , water and environment , tasmania . available from : urltoken .
ziebell ' s handfish is conventionally accepted as brachiopsilus ziebelli ( last & gledhill 2009 ) . the species was previously known as brachionichthys sp . 1 and sympterichthys sp . [ csiro # t6 . 01 ] ( edgar et al . 1982 ; last et al . 1983 ) .
handfish lack the dispersive larval stage common in marine fishes . they hatch as fully formed juveniles ( 6 - 7 mm in length ) , move straight to the bottom and appear to remain in the vicinity of spawning ( bruce et al . , 1998 submitted ) . this has two important consequences . first , colonies may be relatively isolated ( ie mixing between them is restricted ) thus a reduction in spawning success may seriously impact a colony . second , the ability for handfish to recolonise areas from which they have been displaced is likely to be low .
it is unlikely that the recovery process will result in a down listing of spotted handfish within the three year time frame of this recovery plan . annual recovery team meetings will be a forum for the review of the actions proposed in this document and the status of the species .
the age structures of three known spotted handfish colonies were assessed during surveys undertaken from 1998 to 2001 ( green & bruce , 2002 ) . at one of the two sites in the lower derwent estuary , the number of adult spotted handfish ( those greater than 71 mm in length ) had declined over this period ( green & bruce , 2002 ) . at another site in the lower derwent estuary , a three - fold increase in mature fish was observed in spring 1999 ( green & bruce , 2002 ) . the reason for this increase is unknown but it is considered likely that fish may have moved into the area to breed ( green & bruce , 2002 ) . the ratio of juvenile to adult handfish in the two regularly surveyed sites in the lower derwent estuary varied annually from 2011 to 2014 ( green , pers comm . , 2014 ) .
it is difficult to monitor the handfish’s population because diving is involved , but in recent years some populations have been monitored as part of volunteer programs such as reef life survey . current results suggest the populations in the centre of the estuary are stable , but more surveys are always needed .