handfish

English

Wikispecies

The spotted handfish

Etymology

hand +‎ fish

Noun

handfish (plural handfish or handfishes)

1. Any of the anglerfishes of the genus Brachionichthys, which can "walk" on the sea floor using their pectoral fins.
   • 2018, Tim Flannery, Europe: A Natural History, page 69:

     An astonishing exception, however, is a single fossil of a handfish, so-named because they ʻwalkʼ on fin-like hands.

Derived terms

• smooth handfish