Chimaeras are

cartilaginous fish Chondrichthyes (; ) is a class that contains the cartilaginous fishes that have skeletons primarily composed of cartilage. They can be contrasted with the Osteichthyes or ''bony fishes'', which have skeletons primarily composed of bone tissue ...

in the order Chimaeriformes , known informally as ghost sharks, rat fish, spookfish, or rabbit fish; the last three names are not to be confused with

rattail Grenadiers or rattails are generally large, brown to black gadiform marine fish of the subfamily Macrourinae, the largest subfamily of the family Macrouridae. Found at great depths from the Arctic to Antarctic, members of this subfamily are am ...

Opisthoproctidae Barreleyes, also known as spook fish (a name also applied to several species of chimaera), are small deep-sea argentiniform fish comprising the family Opisthoproctidae found in tropical-to-temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian ...

, or

Siganidae Rabbitfishes or spinefoots are perciform fishes in the family Siganidae. The 29 species are in a single genus, ''Siganus''. In some now obsolete classifications, the species having prominent face stripes—colloquially called foxfaces– ...

, respectively. At one time a "diverse and abundant" group (based on the

fossil record A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in ...

), their closest living relatives are

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimo ...

s and rays, though their last common ancestor with them lived nearly 400 million years ago. Today, they are largely confined to deep water.

Description and habits

Chimaeras live in temperate ocean floors down to deep, with few occurring at depths shallower than . Exceptions include the members of the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Callorhinchus ''Callorhinchus'', the plough-nosed chimaeras or elephantfish, are the only living genus in the family Callorhinchidae (sometimes spelled Callorhynchidae). A few extinct genera only known from fossil remains are recognized. ''Callorhinchus'' spp ...

'', the rabbit fish and the

spotted ratfish The spotted ratfish (''Hydrolagus colliei'') is a chimaera found in the north-eastern Pacific Ocean. Often seen by divers at night in the Pacific Northwest, this cartilaginous fish gets its characteristic name from a pointed rat-like tail. Th ...

, which locally or periodically can be found at shallower depths. Consequently, these are also among the few species from the chimaera order kept in

public aquaria A public aquarium (plural: ''public aquaria'' or ''public Water Zoo'') is the aquatic counterpart of a zoo, which houses living aquatic animal and plant specimens for public viewing. Most public aquariums feature tanks larger than those kept b ...

. They live in all the oceans except for the Arctic and Antarctic oceans. They have elongated, soft bodies, with a bulky head and a single

gill A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

-opening. They grow up to in length, although this includes the lengthy tail found in some species. In many species, the snout is modified into an elongated sensory organ. Like other members of the class

Chondrichthyes Chondrichthyes (; ) is a class that contains the cartilaginous fishes that have skeletons primarily composed of cartilage. They can be contrasted with the Osteichthyes or ''bony fishes'', which have skeletons primarily composed of bone tissue. ...

, chimaera skeletons are composed of

cartilage Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints as articular cartilage, and is a structural component of many body parts including the rib cage, the neck an ...

. Their skin is smooth and naked, lacking

placoid scale A fish scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of the skin of a fish. The skin of most jawed fishes is covered with these protective scales, which can also provide effective camouflage through the use of reflection and colouration, as ...

s (except in the claspers), and their color can range from black to brownish gray. For defense, most chimaeras have a

venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

ous spine in front of the

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through conv ...

. They use these fins to "fly" through water. The usual diet of chimaeras consist of crustaceans, and more specifically, they include ophiurans and molluscs. Chimaeras resemble sharks in some ways: they employ

clasper In biology, a clasper is a male anatomical structure found in some groups of animals, used in mating. Male cartilaginous fish have claspers formed from the posterior portion of their pelvic fin which serve to channel semen into the female's c ...

s for internal fertilization of females and they lay

eggs Humans and human ancestors have scavenged and eaten animal eggs for millions of years. Humans in Southeast Asia had domesticated chickens and harvested their eggs for food by 1,500 BCE. The most widely consumed eggs are those of fowl, especial ...

with

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hogs, ...

y cases. They also use

electroreception Electroreception and electrogenesis are the closely-related biological abilities to perceive electrical stimuli and to generate electric fields. Both are used to locate prey; stronger electric discharges are used in a few groups of fishes to stu ...

to find their prey. However, unlike sharks, male chimaeras also have retractable sexual appendages on the forehead (a type of tentaculum) and in front of the

pelvic fin Pelvic fins or ventral fins are paired fins located on the ventral surface of fish. The paired pelvic fins are homologous to the hindlimbs of tetrapods. Structure and function Structure In actinopterygians, the pelvic fin consists of two en ...

s. The females lay eggs in

spindle Spindle may refer to: Textiles and manufacturing * Spindle (textiles), a straight spike to spin fibers into yarn * Spindle (tool), a rotating axis of a machine tool Biology * Common spindle and other species of shrubs and trees in genus ''Euony ...

-shaped, leathery egg cases. They also differ from sharks in that their upper jaws are fused with their skulls and they have separate

anal Anal may refer to: Related to the anus *Related to the anus of animals: ** Anal fin, in fish anatomy ** Anal vein, in insect anatomy ** Anal scale, in reptile anatomy *Related to the human anus: ** Anal sex, a type of sexual activity involvin ...

and

urogenital The genitourinary system, or urogenital system, are the organs of the reproductive system and the urinary system. These are grouped together because of their proximity to each other, their common embryological origin and the use of common pathwa ...

openings. They also have gill covers or opercula like bony fishes. Instead of sharks' many sharp and replaceable teeth, they have just three pairs of large permanent grinding tooth plates. These are unique among vertebrates due to their mineralization. They are made of osteodentin and is covered by an enamel called pleromin formed by mesenchyme-derived cells and made by the mineral

whitlockite Whitlockite is a mineral, an unusual form of Tricalcium phosphate, calcium phosphate. Its formula is Ca9(Mgiron, Fe)(PO4)6PO3Ohydrogen, H. It is a relatively rare mineral but is found in granitic pegmatites, phosphate rock deposits, guano caves a ...

. Most vertebrates have an enamel of

apatite Apatite is a group of phosphate minerals, usually hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite and chlorapatite, with high concentrations of OH−, F− and Cl− ions, respectively, in the crystal. The formula of the admixture of the three most common e ...

Phylogenetics

Tracing the evolution of these species has been problematic given the paucity of good fossils. DNA sequencing has become the preferred approach to understanding speciation. The group containing Chimeras and their close relatives (

Holocephali Holocephali ("complete heads"), sometimes given the term Euchondrocephali, is a subclass of cartilaginous fish in the class Chondrichthyes. The earliest fossils are of teeth and come from the Devonian period. Little is known about these primiti ...

) is thought to have originated about 420 million years ago during the

Silurian The Silurian ( ) is a geologic period and system spanning 24.6 million years from the end of the Ordovician Period, at million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Devonian Period, Mya. The Silurian is the shortest period of the Paleozo ...

. The oldest known Chimaeriform is '' Protochimaera'' from the Early

Carboniferous The Carboniferous ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, million years ago. The name ''Carbonifero ...

(338-332 million years ago) of Russia, which is more closely related to modern chimeras (Chimaeroidei) than any other known extinct groups of Chimaeriformes. The earliest known remains attributable to modern chimaeras are known from the

Early Jurassic The Early Jurassic Epoch (geology), Epoch (in chronostratigraphy corresponding to the Lower Jurassic series (stratigraphy), Series) is the earliest of three epochs of the Jurassic Period. The Early Jurassic starts immediately after the Triassic-J ...

(

Pliensbachian The Pliensbachian is an age of the geologic timescale and stage in the stratigraphic column. It is part of the Early or Lower Jurassic Epoch or Series and spans the time between 190.8 ± 1.5 Ma and 182.7 ± 1.5 Ma (million years ago). The Plien ...

) of Europe, but egg cases from the

Late Triassic The Late Triassic is the third and final epoch (geology), epoch of the Triassic geologic time scale, Period in the geologic time scale, spanning the time between annum, Ma and Ma (million years ago). It is preceded by the Middle Triassic Epoch ...

of Yakutia, Russia and New Zealand that resemble those of rhinochimaerids and callorhinchids respectively indicates that they had a global distribution prior to the end of the

Triassic The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 Mya. The Triassic is the first and shortest period ...

. Unlike modern chimaeras,

Mesozoic The Mesozoic Era ( ), also called the Age of Reptiles, the Age of Conifers, and colloquially as the Age of the Dinosaurs is the second-to-last era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceo ...

representatives are often found in shallow water settings. The extant species fall into three families—the Callorhinchidae, Rhinochimaeridae and

Chimaeridae The Chimaeridae, or short-nosed chimaeras, are a family of cartilaginous fish. They resemble other chimaeras in general form and habits, but have short, rounded snouts, without the modifications found in related families. Many species have lon ...

with the callorhinchids being the most basal

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

Parasites

As other fish, chimaeras have a number of

parasites Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted structurally to this way of lif ...

. ''

Chimaericola leptogaster ''Chimaericola leptogaster'' is a species of polyopisthocotylean monogenean in the family Chimaericolidae. It is ectoparasitic on the gills of the chimaera '' Chimaera monstrosa''. History According to Brinkmann,Brinkmann Jr, A. (1942). On ' ...

'' ( Chimaericolidae) is a

monogenea Monogeneans are a group of ectoparasitic flatworms commonly found on the skin, gills, or fins of fish. They have a direct lifecycle and do not require an intermediate host. Adults are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reprod ...

n parasite of the

s of ''

Chimaera monstrosa ''Chimaera monstrosa'', also known as the rabbit fish or rat fish, is a northeast Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean species of cartilaginous fish in the family Chimaeridae. The rabbit fish is known for its characteris ...

''; the species can attain in length.

Classification

In some classifications, the chimaeras are included (as subclass Holocephali) in the class

of cartilaginous fishes; in other systems, this distinction may be raised to the level of class. Chimaeras also have some characteristics of bony fishes. A renewed effort to explore deep water and to undertake taxonomic analysis of specimens in museum collections led to a boom during the first decade of the 21st century in the number of new species identified. A preliminary study found 8% of species to be threatened. There are 50 extant species in six genera and four

families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...

are described; an additional three genera and two families are only known from

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

s):

* †Suborder Squalorajoidei Patterson 1965 (Early Jurassic) ** †Family Squalorajidae Woodward 1886 *** †''

Squaloraja ''Squaloraja polyspondyla'' is an extinct chimaeriform fish from the Lower Jurassic of Europe. Fossils of ''S. polyspondyla'' have been found in Lower Jurassic-aged marine strata of Lyme Regis, England, and Osteno, Italy. Individuals of ''S. p ...

'' Europe, Early Jurassic ( Hettangian-

Sinemurian In the geologic timescale, the Sinemurian is an age and stage in the Early or Lower Jurassic Epoch or Series. It spans the time between 199.3 ± 2 Ma and 190.8 ± 1.5 Ma (million years ago). The Sinemurian is preceded by the Hettangian and is ...

) * †Suborder Myriacanthoidei Patterson 1965 (Late Triassic-Late Jurassic) ** †Family Chimaeropsidae *** †'' Chimaeropsis'' Zittel 1887 Belgium, Early Jurassic (Sinemurian) ** †Family Myriacanthidae Woodward 1889 *** †'' Acanthorhina'' Fraas 1910 Posidonia Shale Formation, Germany, Early Jurassic (

Toarcian The Toarcian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, an age and stage in the Early or Lower Jurassic. It spans the time between 182.7 Ma (million years ago) and 174.1 Ma. It follows the Pliensbachian and is followed by the Aalenian. The Toarcian ...

) *** †''

Agkistracanthus ''Agkistracanthus'' is an extinct genus of Chimaera from the Mesozoic era. It currently contains a single species, ''A. mitgelensis''. It is known from the Rhaetian to Hettangian epochs, spanning the transition from the Triassic to Jurassic p ...

'' Duffin and Furrer 1981 Austria, England and Switzerland, Late Triassic-Early Jurassic (

Rhaetian The Rhaetian is the latest age of the Triassic Period (in geochronology) or the uppermost stage of the Triassic System (in chronostratigraphy). It was preceded by the Norian and succeeded by the Hettangian (the lowermost stage or earliest age ...

-Sinemurian) *** †'' Alethodontus'' Duffin 1983 Germany, Early Jurassic (Sinemurian) *** †'' Halonodon'' Duffin 1984 Belgium and Luxembourg, Early Jurassic (Sinemurian) *** †''

Metopacanthus ''Metopacanthus'' is an extinct genus of cartilaginous fish from the Early Jurassic epoch in Europe. It is known from the Toarcian of the Posidonia Shale of Germany. It is unusual due to being an extrange aberrant Chimaera, with a jaw-like struc ...

'' Zittel 1887 Posidonia Shale Formation, Germany, Early Jurassic (Toarcian) *** †'' Oblidens'' Duffin and Milàn 2017

Hasle Formation The Hasle Formation is a geologic formation on the island on Bornholm, Denmark. It is of early to late Pliensbachian age. Vertebrate fossils have been uncovered from this formation. The type section of the formation is found at the south of the c ...

, Denmark, Early Jurassic (

) *** †'' Myriacanthus'' Agassiz 1837 United Kingdom, Late Triassic-Early Jurassic (Rhaetian-Sinemurian) *** †'' Recurvacanthus'' Duffin 1981 United Kingdom, Early Jurassic (Sinemurian) *†Suborder Protochimaeroidei Lebedev & Popov, 2021 **†Family Protochimaeridae Lebedev & Popov, 2021 ***†'' Protochimaera'' Lebedev & Popov, 2021 Moscow Region, Russia, Lower Carboniferous (

Viséan The Visean, Viséan or Visian is an age in the ICS geologic timescale or a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is the second stage of the Mississippian, the lower subsystem of the Carboniferous. The Visean lasted from to Ma. It follow ...

–

Serpukhovian The Serpukhovian is in the ICS geologic timescale the uppermost stage or youngest age of the Mississippian, the lower subsystem of the Carboniferous. The Serpukhovian age lasted from Ma to Ma. It is preceded by the Visean and is followed b ...

) * Suborder Chimaeroidei Patterson 1965 **†'' Eomanodon'' Ward and Duffin 1989 United Kingdom, Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) **Family

Callorhinchidae Chimaeras are cartilaginous fish in the order Chimaeriformes , known informally as ghost sharks, rat fish, spookfish, or rabbit fish; the last three names are not to be confused with rattails, Opisthoproctidae, or Siganidae, respectively. ...

Garman Garman is a surname or first name. Notable people with the name include: Sports * Ann Garman, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player * Judi Garman (born 1954), American softball coach * Mike Garman (born 1949), American baseball pla ...

, 1901 *** Genus ''

'' Lacépède, 1798 **** ''

Callorhinchus callorynchus ''Callorhinchus callorynchus'', the American elephantfish or cockfish, is a species of fish in the family Callorhinchidae found in southern Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. Its natural habitat is open seas. Being a holocephalan fro ...

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

(ploughnose chimaera) **** '' Callorhinchus capensis'' A. H. A. Duméril, 1865 (Cape elephantfish) **** '' Callorhinchus milii'' Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1823 (Australian ghost shark) ***†''

Brachymylus ''Brachymylus'' is an extinct genus of cartilaginous fish belonging to the subclass Holocephali Holocephali ("complete heads"), sometimes given the term Euchondrocephali, is a subclass of cartilaginous fish in the class Chondrichthyes. The ...

'' A. S. Woodward 1894 Germany, Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) ***†''

Bathytheristes ''Bathytheristes'' is an extinct genus of Chimaera from the late Early Jurassic epoch of the Jurassic Period. Its name roughly translates to "Reaper of the deep." It is known from a single species, ''B. gracilis''. It was discovered in the earl ...

'' Duffin 1995 Posidonia Shale Formation, Germany, Early Jurassic (Toarcian) ***†'' Ottangodus'' Popov, Delsate & Felten, 2019 France, Middle Jurassic (

Bajocian In the geologic timescale, the Bajocian is an age and stage in the Middle Jurassic. It lasted from approximately 170.3 Ma to around 168.3 Ma (million years ago). The Bajocian Age succeeds the Aalenian Age and precedes the Bathonian Age. Stratig ...

) ***†'' Moskovirhynchus'' Russia, Upper Jurassic ***†''

Pachymylus ''Pachymylus'' is an extinct genus of chimaera belonging to the family Callorhynchidae. The type species. ''P. leedsi'' was described by A. S. Woodward in 1892, and is known from the Middle-Late Jurassic (Callovian- Oxfordian) Oxford Clay of ...

'' United Kingdom, France, Middle Jurassic **Family †"Edaphodontidae" ***†''

Ischyodus ''Ischyodus'' (from el, ισχύς , 'power' and el, ὀδούς 'tooth') is an extinct genus of chimaera. It is the most diverse and long-lived chimaera genus, with over 39 species found worldwide spanning over 140 million years from the M ...

'' (40 species) Worldwide, Middle Jurassic-Miocene (also placed in Callorhinchidae) ***†'' Elasmodectes'' Europe, Jurassic-Cretaceous ***†'' Elasmodus'' Worldwide, Cretaceous-Paleogene ***†'' Edaphodon'' Worldwide, Cretaceous-Neogene ***†''

Ptyktoptychion ''Ptyktoptychion'' is an extinct genus of chimaeras known from the Early Cretaceous The Early Cretaceous (geochronology, geochronological name) or the Lower Cretaceous (chronostratigraphy, chronostratigraphic name), is the earlier or lower of t ...

'' Australia, Early Cretaceous ***†'' Lebediodon'' Europe, Cretaceous ** Family

Bonaparte, 1831 *** Genus ''

Chimaera Chimaeras are cartilaginous fish in the order Chimaeriformes , known informally as ghost sharks, rat fish, spookfish, or rabbit fish; the last three names are not to be confused with rattails, Opisthoproctidae, or Siganidae, respectively. At ...

**** '' Chimaera argiloba''

Last A last is a mechanical form shaped like a human foot. It is used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes. Lasts typically come in pairs and have been made from various materials, including hardwoods, cast iron, and ...

, W. T. White & Pogonoski, 2008 (whitefin chimaera) **** '' Chimaera bahamaensis'' Kemper, Ebert, Didier & Compagno, 2010 (Bahamas ghost shark) **** ''

Chimaera compacta Chimaeras are cartilaginous fish in the order Chimaeriformes , known informally as ghost sharks, rat fish, spookfish, or rabbit fish; the last three names are not to be confused with rattails, Opisthoproctidae, or Siganidae, respectively. At o ...

'' Iglésias, Kemper & Naylor, 2022Iglésias, S.P., Kemper, J.M. & Naylor, G.J.P. Chimaera compacta, a new species from southern Indian Ocean, and an estimate of phylogenetic relationships within the genus Chimaera (Chondrichthyes: Chimaeridae). Ichthyol Res 69, 31–45 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-021-00810-9 **** ''

Chimaera cubana The Cuban chimaera (''Chimaera cubana'') is a species of fish in the family Chimaeridae. It is found in Colombia, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Its natural habitat is open seas. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed hab ...

'' Howell-Rivero, 1936 **** ''

Chimaera fulva The southern chimaera (''Chimaera fulva'') is a chimaera species in the family Chimaeridae. It lives in Australia, usually in marine waters 780 to 1095 meters deep. It can grow to a maximum length of at least 100 centimeters, and is sometimes c ...

'' Didier,

& W. T. White, 2008 (southern chimaera) **** ''

Chimaera jordani Jordan's chimaera (''Chimaera jordani'') is a species of fish in the family Chimaeridae found near Japan, Madagascar, and Mozambique. Its natural habitat is open sea The sea, connected as the world ocean or simply the ocean, is the body of ...

'' S. Tanaka (I), 1905 (Jordan's chimaera) **** ''

Chimaera lignaria The carpenter's chimaera (''Chimaera lignaria''), also known as the giant chimaera or the giant purple chimaera, is a species of fish in the family Chimaeridae. Description The carpenter's chimaera grows to in length; the largest specimen reco ...

'' Didier, 2002 (carpenter's chimaera) **** ''

Chimaera macrospina The longspine chimaera (''Chimaera macrospina'') is a chimaera species in the family Chimaeridae. It is found off of the eastern and western coasts of Australia, and lives in tropical and temperate waters 435–1,300 meters deep. Males and femal ...

'' Didier,

& W. T. White, 2008 (longspine chimaera) **** ''

(rabbit fish) **** ''

Chimaera notafricana The cape chimaera (''Chimaera notafricana'') is a chimaera species in the family Chimaeridae, which lives in South Africa and Namibia. Taxonomy The cape chimaera is one of 16 species in the genus Chimaera. The species was described in 2010 b ...

'' Kemper, Ebert, Compagno & Didier, 2010 Cape chimaera **** ''

Chimaera obscura The shortspine chimaera (''Chimaera obscura''), also commonly known as the short spine chimaera, is a chimaera species in the family Chimaeridae, which lives off of the east coast of Australia. Description The shortspine chimaera is similar to ...

'' Didier,

& W. T. White, 2008 (shortspine chimaera) **** ''

Chimaera opalescens The opal chimaera (''Chimaera opalescens'') is a chimaera species in the family Chimaeridae The Chimaeridae, or short-nosed chimaeras, are a family of cartilaginous fish. They resemble other chimaeras in general form and habits, but have ...

'' Luchetti, Iglésias & Sellos, 2011 **** '' Chimaera owstoni'' S. Tanaka (I), 1905 (Owston's chimaera) **** '' Chimaera panthera'' Didier, 1998 (leopard chimaera) **** '' Chimaera phantasma''

Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...

& Snyder, 1900 (silver chimaera) *** Genus ''

Hydrolagus ''Hydrolagus'' is a genus of fish in the family Chimaeridae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.Weigmann, S. (2016)Annotated checklist of the living sharks, batoids and chimaeras (Chondrichthyes) of the world, with a focus on biogeog ...

Gill A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

, 1863 **** '' Hydrolagus affinis'' Brito Capello, 1868 (smalleyed rabbitfish) **** '' Hydrolagus africanus'' Gilchrist, 1922 (African chimaera) **** ''

Hydrolagus alberti The gulf chimaera (''Hydrolagus alberti'') is a species of cartilaginous fish in the family Chimaeridae found near Mexico, the United States, and possibly Suriname. Its natural habitat is open sea The sea, connected as the world ocean or ...

'' Bigelow &

Schroeder __NOTOC__ Schroeder is a North German language, German (from Schröder) occupational name for a cloth cutter or tailor, from an agent derivative of Middle Low German , "to cut". The same term was occasionally used to denote a gristmiller as well as ...

, 1951 **** ''

Hydrolagus alphus The whitespot ghost shark (''Hydrolagus alphus'') is a chimaera species in the family Chimaeridae, which lives in parts of the Galápagos Islands in the southeast Pacific Ocean. It lives in waters with steep slopes and boulders and grows to a to ...

'' Quaranta, Didier,

Long Long may refer to: Measurement * Long, characteristic of something of great duration * Long, characteristic of something of great length * Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate * Longa (music), note value in early music mens ...

& Ebert, 2006 (whitespot ghost shark) **** '' Hydrolagus barbouri''

, 1908 **** '' Hydrolagus bemisi'' Didier, 2002 (pale ghost shark) **** ''

Hydrolagus colliei The spotted ratfish (''Hydrolagus colliei'') is a chimaera found in the north-eastern Pacific Ocean. Often seen by divers at night in the Pacific Northwest, this cartilaginous fish gets its characteristic name from a pointed rat-like tail. Th ...

Lay Lay may refer to: Places *Lay Range, a subrange of mountains in British Columbia, Canada *Lay, Loire, a French commune *Lay (river), France *Lay, Iran, a village *Lay, Kansas, United States, an unincorporated community People * Lay (surname) * ...

& E. T. Bennett, 1839 (spotted ratfish) **** ''

Hydrolagus deani ''Hydrolagus mitsukurii'' is a species of fish in the family Chimaeridae found in China, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Indonesia. Its natural habitat is open seas. It is one of several species commonly called "spookfis ...

'' H. M. Smith &

Radcliffe Radcliffe or Radcliff may refer to: Places * Radcliffe Line, a border between India and Pakistan United Kingdom * Radcliffe, Greater Manchester ** Radcliffe Tower, the remains of a medieval manor house in the town ** Radcliffe tram stop * ...

, 1912 (Philippine chimaera) **** '' Hydrolagus eidolon''

& Hubbs, 1925 **** '' Hydrolagus homonycteris'' Didier, 2008 (black ghostshark) **** ''

Hydrolagus lemures The bight ghostshark or blackfin ghostshark (''Hydrolagus lemures'') is a species of chimaera endemic to the waters of Australia from Queensland to Western Australia where it is found near the ocean floor of the continental shelf and upper slo ...

'' Whitley, 1939 (blackfin ghostshark) **** '' Hydrolagus lusitanicus'' Moura, Figueiredo, Bordalo-Machado, Almeida & Gordo, 2005 **** '' Hydrolagus macrophthalmus'' de Buen, 1959 **** ''

Hydrolagus marmoratus The marbled ghostshark (''Hydrolagus marmoratus'') is a chimaera species in the family Chimaeridae The Chimaeridae, or short-nosed chimaeras, are a family of cartilaginous fish. They resemble other chimaeras in general form and habits, but ...

'' Didier, 2008 marbled ghostshark **** ''

Hydrolagus matallanasi ''Hydrolagus matallanasi'', the striped rabbitfish, is a species of very rare, deep-water chimaera that lives in the ocean at depths to 600 m. It was discovered in 2001 by a team of Brazilian scientists. These 40-cm-long fishes have an unusual a ...

'' Soto & Vooren, 2004 (striped rabbitfish) **** ''

Hydrolagus mccoskeri ''Hydrolagus'' is a genus of fish in the family Chimaeridae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.Weigmann, S. (2016)Annotated checklist of the living sharks, batoids and chimaeras (Chondrichthyes) of the world, with a focus on biogeog ...

Barnett Barnett is both a surname and a masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: Surname Barnett is an Anglo-Saxon and Old French surname that came after the Norman Invasion.The original Anglo-Saxon spelling is baernet which means'the ...

, Didier,

& Ebert, 2006 (Galápagos ghostshark) **** '' Hydrolagus melanophasma'' K. C. James, Ebert,

& Didier, 2009 (Eastern Pacific black ghostshark) **** ''

Hydrolagus mirabilis ''Hydrolagus'' is a genus of fish in the family Chimaeridae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.Weigmann, S. (2016)Annotated checklist of the living sharks, batoids and chimaeras (Chondrichthyes) of the world, with a focus on biogeog ...

'' Collett, 1904 (large-eyed rabbitfish) **** '' Hydrolagus mitsukurii''

& Snyder, 1904 (spookfish) **** ''

Hydrolagus novaezealandiae The dark ghostshark (''Hydrolagus novaezealandiae'') is a shortnose chimaera of the family Chimaeridae, found on the continental shelf around the South Island of New Zealand. In June 2018 the New Zealand Department of Conservation classified the ...

'' Fowler, 1911 (dark ghostshark) **** '' Hydrolagus ogilbyi'' Waite, 1898 **** '' Hydrolagus pallidus'' Hardy & Stehmann, 1990 **** '' Hydrolagus purpurescens''

Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...

, 1905 (purple chimaera) **** '' Hydrolagus trolli'' Didier & Séret, 2002 (pointy-nosed blue chimaera) **** '' Hydrolagus waitei'' Fowler, 1907 ***†'' Canadodus'' Popov, Johns & Suntok, 2020

Sooke Formation The Sooke Formation is a geologic formation in British Columbia. It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleogene period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in British Columbia This is a list of fossiliferous stratigraphic u ...

, Canada,

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but the ...

** Family

Rhinochimaeridae The Rhinochimaeridae, commonly known as long-nosed chimaeras, are a family (biology), family of cartilaginous fish. They are similar in form and habits to other chimaeras, but have an exceptionally long conical or paddle-shaped snout. The snout h ...

, 1901 *** Genus ''

Harriotta ''Harriotta'' is a genus of cartilaginous fish in the family Rhinochimaeridae. Some common names for species in the genus include bentnose rabbitfish, bigspine spookfish, longnose chimaera, long-nosed chimaera, longnosed chimaera, and narrownose ...

'' Goode &

Bean A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes th ...

, 1895 **** ''

Harriotta haeckeli The smallspine spookfish (''Harriotta haeckeli'') is a species of fish in the family Rhinochimaeridae with a rather disjunct population. Its natural habitat is open seas. Taxonomy This species was first described by Christine Karrer in 1972. ...

Karrer Karrer is a surname. Notable people with the name include: * Annie May Hurd Karrer (1893–?), American plant physiologist * Chris Karrer(born 1947), German guitarist and composer * Felix Karrer (1825–1903), Austrian geologist * Josef Karrer (bor ...

, 1972 (smallspine spookfish) **** ''

Harriotta raleighana The narrownose chimaera (''Harriotta raleighana'') is a longnose chimaera of the family Rhinochimaeridae, the longnose chimaeras, consisting of eight species belonging three genera. This species is found in temperate seas worldwide, at depths bet ...

'' Goode &

, 1895 (Pacific longnose chimaera) *** Genus '' Neoharriotta'' Bigelow &

, 1950 **** '' Neoharriotta carri'' Bullis & J. S. Carpenter, 1966 (dwarf sicklefin chimaera) **** ''

Neoharriotta pinnata The sicklefin chimaera (''Neoharriotta pinnata'') is a species of fish in the family Rhinochimaeridae found near Angola, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Namibia, Sene ...

'' Schnakenbeck, 1931 (sicklefin chimaera) **** ''

Neoharriotta pumila The Arabian sicklefin chimaera (''Neoharriotta pumila'') is a species of fish in the family Rhinochimaeridae found near Somalia, Yemen, and possibly India. Its natural habitat is open sea The sea, connected as the world ocean or simply the ...

'' Didier & Stehmann, 1996 (Arabian sicklefin chimaera) *** Genus ''

Rhinochimaera ''Rhinochimaera'' is a genus of cartilaginous fish in the family Rhinochimaeridae, with these species: * ''Rhinochimaera africana'' Compagno, Stehmann & Ebert, 1990 (paddlenose chimaera) * ''Rhinochimaera atlantica'' Holt & Byrne, 1909 (broa ...

, 1901 **** ''

Rhinochimaera africana The paddlenose chimaera or paddlenose spookfish (''Rhinochimaera africana'') is a species of fish in the family Rhinochimaeridae found near China, Japan, Mozambique, South Africa, and Taiwan. Its natural habitat is open seas. It is threatened by ...

'' Compagno, Stehmann & Ebert, 1990 (paddle-nose chimaera) **** ''

Rhinochimaera atlantica The broadnose chimaera, knifenose chimaera, spearnose chimaera, or straightnose rabbitfish (''Rhinochimaera atlantica'') is a species of fish in the family Rhinochimaeridae found near Canada, Colombia, France, Gambia, Iceland, Mauritania, Mexico, ...

'' Holt & Byrne, 1909 (straightnose rabbitfish) **** '' Rhinochimaera pacifica''

Mitsukuri Mitsukuri (written: 箕作 or 三栗) is a Japanese surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family na ...

, 1895 (Pacific spookfish) ***†'' Amylodon'' Europe, Late Cretaceous

References

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