View Thymichthys politus belonging to the family brachionidae, is considered a very rare fish, perhaps the rarest on Earth

Photo: Antonia Cooper

Photo: Antonia Cooper

Photo: Antonia Cooper

Scientists discovered off the coast of Tasmania the second population Thymichthys politus, probably the most rare in the world of fish.

View Thymichthys politus belonging to the family brachionidae, is considered a very rare fish, perhaps the rarest on Earth. Scientists believed that the General population has no more than 20-40 individuals. Now, however, was discovered another population Thymichthys politus, and the total number of known fish of this species increased by about two times. Briefly about the opening of the portal ScienceAlert.

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A new population of this rare species was discovered by divers from the Australian Institute for the research of the sea and Antarctica (Australian Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies) and citizen science project Reef Life Survey. They went to explore this area of the sea after it was reported that there have seen this amazing fish. The specialists spent on the search for about 3.5 hours.

Previously it was thought that red bats live exclusively in coastal waters of Frederick Henry Bay, South-East of Tasmania.

The new group Thymichthys politus was found in another location in kilometers from the first. Experts believe that this population also has approximately 20-40 individuals (until divers discovered eight). As noted by marine biologist Rick Stuart-Smith from the University of Tasmania, this finding is “a huge relief” now that we know the number Thymichthys politus has doubled.

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However, as noted, the rarity is not the only amazing feature of these fish. So, as you can see in the photos, they have strange leg-like hands.

Thymichthys politus, as mentioned above, belong to the family brachionidae, inside of which there are five genera with 14 species. And representatives of the family move are not like other fish: they swim and move along the bottom of the ocean with like hands front fins.