Rabbit fish (Chimaera monstrosa)

Scientific name: Chimaera monstrosa Linnaeus, 1758

Rabbit fish (Chimaera monstrosa)
Photo: http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~djc54/final/species.html

The Rabbit fish (Chimaera monstrosa) is a marine fish of the family Chimaeridae.

Biology

Bathydemersal to benthopelagic generally between 300 and 500 m depth. Found in the upper continental slope. Usually found in deeper waters in southern latitudes, while making a summer inshore migration up to 40-100 m in the northern areas. Sluggish, usually occurring in small groups. Feeds mainly on bottom-living invertebrates. The single dorsal spine is sharp and pointed, and although only mildly venomous can inflict a painful wound. Oviparous. Males have a clasper on the forehead that is probably used to hold on to the female during copulation. Egg capsules are about 17 cm long; young look alike adults and hatch when 10 cm long. Common by-catch when trawling for shrimps in the North Sea or Skaggerak.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Chimaera monstrosa
Family
Chimaeridae (Shortnose chimaeras or ratfishes)
Order
Chimaeriformes (Chimaeras)
Class
Holocephali (Chimaeras)
Maximum length
150
Depth range
40–1000 m (131–3281 ft)
Environment
Marine; bathydemersal; oceanodromous; depth range 40 - 1000 m, usually 300 - 500 m
Climate
Deep-water
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: northern Norway and Iceland, Skagerrak and Kattegat south to Morocco including western Mediterranean, Azores and Madeira Islands. Records from South Africa are questionable. Reported from Oshima, Japan.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Near Threatened (NT)
Threat to humans
Traumatogenic
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming Fec

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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