Walking fish found on barrier reef

A rare species of walking fish never seen in Australian waters has been discovered off the Great Barrier Reef. Researchers from the Schmidt Ocean Institute in the US used a deep-diving drone a kilometre below the sea to collect samples, map and film unexplored parts of the reef. Robin Beaman, a scientist from James Cook University in Queensland, said the team was surprised to find a species of scorpionfish called Rhinopias agroliba 700ft below the surface. ‘‘It was very strange – it had this beautiful red colour and it walked on its pectoral fins like a set of hands,’’ Dr Beaman said. ‘‘It looked weird, but it was also displaying this weird behaviour, walking along the seafloor.’’ Experts watching live pictures from the drone said the closest place that was known for the species was Hawaii.