Rhinochimaeridae

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Classis: Chondrichthyes
Subclassis: Holocephali
Ordo: Chimaeriformes
Subordo: Chimaeroidei

Familia: Rhinochimaeridae
Genera: †Elasmodus – Harriotta - Neoharriotta - Rhinochimaera

Vernacular names

The Rhinochimaeridae, commonly known as long-nosed chimaeras,[1] are a family of cartilaginous fish. They are similar in form and habits to other chimaeras, but have an exceptionally long conical or paddle-shaped snout.[2] The snout has numerous sensory nerve endings, and is used to find food such as small fish.[3] The first dorsal fin includes a mildly venomous spine, used in defense.[4]

Long-nosed chimaeras are found in temperate and tropical seas worldwide, from 200 to 2,000 m (660 to 6,560 ft) in depth.[4] In August 2020, a long-nosed chimaera was brought up from 460 fathoms (2,760 ft; 840 m) off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.[5]

They range from 60 to 140 cm (2.0 to 4.6 ft) in maximum total length, depending on species.
Rhinochimaeridae in the Gulf of Mexico at roughly 4,300 ft (1,300 m) deep
Species

The eight known species are in three genera:[4]

Family Rhinochimaeridae

Genus Harriotta Goode & Bean, 1895
Harriotta haeckeli Karrer, 1972 (smallspine spookfish)
Harriotta raleighana Goode & Bean, 1895 (narrownose chimaera)

Pacific longnose chimaera, Harriotta raleighana

Genus Neoharriotta Bigelow & Schroeder, 1950
Neoharriotta carri Bullis & J. S. Carpenter, 1966 (dwarf sicklefin chimaera)
Neoharriotta pinnata Schnakenbeck, 1931 (sicklefin chimaera)
Neoharriotta pumila Didier & Stehmann, 1996 (Arabian sicklefin chimaera)
Genus Rhinochimaera Garman, 1901
Rhinochimaera africana Compagno, Stehmann & Ebert, 1990 (paddlenose chimaera)
Rhinochimaera atlantica Holt & Byrne, 1909 (broadnose chimaera)
Rhinochimaera pacifica Mitsukuri, 1895 (Pacific spookfish)
Genus †Amylodon Storms, 1895 Late Cretaceous-Paleogene

References

McMillan, Elizabeth (2016-03-07). "Creepy deepwater fish surprises Nova Scotia fisherman". CBC News. Retrieved 2020-08-22.
McEachran, J.; Fechhelm, J.D. (1998). Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, Vol. 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. Austin: University of Texas Press. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-292-75206-1. OCLC 38468784. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
Stevens, H. & Last, P.R. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 69. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Rhinochimaeridae" in FishBase. January 2009 version.
White, Jen (2020-08-22). "What in the heck was that?': Fisherman shocked to haul in long-nosed chimaera". CBC News. Retrieved 2020-08-22.