In this article, we will consider three families of Chimaera Fish species.
Chimaeridae Family: This family includes rat fish (rat fish) and rabbit fish species.
Family Callorhinchidae: This family is called elephant fish or plow-nosed chimaera.
Family Rhinochimaeridae: There are long-nosed chimaera species in this family.
Spotted Mousefish - Chimaera
The spotted mouse fish is a species that lives in the northeastern region of the Pacific Ocean of North America. Its skin is decorated with white spots, which are irregularly distributed on a brown or gray background. The mousefish has an "operculum" covering over its gills, a feature that distinguishes it from other fish. Also, the gill cover is fleshy instead of bone. It carries two dorsal fins and has a spine in front of the first fin. The second dorsal fin consists of two small lobes and looks like two separate fins. The tail is complemented by a long caudal fin and has a pair of triangular pelvic fins in front of the body and a pair of pelvic fins behind it.
Rabbit Fish - Chimaera
The rabbitfish is a member of the species Chimaera monstrosa, found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and western Mediterranean. This fish is also sometimes called rabbit fish. The skin of the rabbitfish is decorated with brown stripes and spots, and this pattern is found on a bluish or greenish background. The background itself offers a silvery sheen. Rabbitfish generally live in deep waters and have limited swimming ability using their large pectoral fins, which are almost bird-like fins. Its diet is defined by its plate-like teeth, which are often capable of crushing hard-shelled organisms. Rabbitfish are believed to have a long life expectancy, but they have been classified as "endangered" by the IUCN. They are at risk of being accidentally caught with other fish, especially during deep-sea fishing. Also, the use of rabbit fish oil (also known as mouse fish oil) is increasing due to people's demand. This oil is extracted from the liver of fish and used for various industrial purposes.
Elephant Fish - Chimaera
Elephant fish belong to the genus Callorhinchus. One of the characteristic features of these fish is that they have an extension similar to the nose of an elephant. Their tails are not like those of a spotted ratfish or a rabbitfish; instead, it has a shark-like structure. For this reason, elephant fish are also called plow-nose chimaeras. Fish use the snout extension to find and catch their prey; this appendage acts like a probe and is sensitive to movement and weak electrical currents. Three or four species of the genus Callorhinchus may exist, so it may vary depending on the classification system. For example, the species Callorhinchus milii is found in Australian and New Zealand waters and is sometimes called an elephant shark or ghost shark. This fish is notable for its dark spots and glowing silvery-gray skin.
Rhino chimaera (Long-Nosed Chimera)
Rhinochimaera (Long-Nosed Chimera) describes fish with nasal appendages resembling rhino horn. This extension can be straight or hooked. The body surface typically exhibits the characteristic stitched appearance of chimaeras. Rhinochimaera fish have a cat's eye-like structure in their eyes that contain a light-reflecting tapetum lucidum, giving them an eerie and ghostly appearance. Other chimaera species also share this trait, and some species are therefore known as ghost sharks. Little is known about the Rhinochimaera (Long-Nosed Chimera) fish, and most live near deep waters. Special equipment is required to observe these fish, and the photos and videos obtained so far are fascinating. Sometimes these fish are caught and this is often in the news.
