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Chimaeridae - Shortnosed Chimaeras

chimaeraThere are around 26 species in this family. They have rounded snouts, no scales, and a large dorsal fin with a stiff poisonous spine. They are found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. They swim by flapping their pectoral fins! They eat clams, fish, and crustaceans. Species include: the Cuban chimaera, the spotted ratfish, and, smalleyed rabbitfish or the Atlantic chimaera, and the purple chimaera.

World Status Key
Least Concern Least Concern Near Threatened Near Threatened Vulnerable Vulnerable Endangered Endangered
Critically Endangered Critically Endangered extinct in the wild Extinct in the Wild extinct Extinct

Status taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status, or there is no status data for the species.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in US Threatened in New Hampshire Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in US Endangered in NH Endangered in NH breeds in nh Breeds in NH Introduced Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

New Hampshire Species

 

 North/Central American Species

Smalleyed Rabbitfish - Hydrolagus affinis Least Concern   Cuban Chimaera - Chimaera cubana
Gulf Chimaera - Hydrolagus alberti
White-spotted Ratfish - Hydrolagus colliei Least Concern
Purple Ghostshark - Hydrolagus purpurescens

Species Around the World

Location Key
Africa Africa Asia Asia Australia Australia/Oceania Europe Europe North America North America South America South America New Hampshire Species NH Species
Arctic OceanArctic Ocean atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean indian OceanIndian Ocean southern oceanMediterranean/Black Sea pacific oceanPacific Ocean

Cuban Chimaera - Chimaera cubana North America South America atlantic Ocean
Jordan's Chimaera - Chimaera jordani Africa Asia indian Ocean pacific ocean
Giant Purple Chimaera - Chimaera lignaria Australia indian Ocean pacific ocean
Rabbitfish - Chimaera monstrosa Near Threatened Africa Asia Europe atlantic Ocean southern ocean
Owston's Chimaera - Chimaera owstoni Asia pacific ocean
Leopard Chimaera - Chimaera panthera Australia pacific ocean
Silver Chimaera - Chimaera phantasma Asia Australia indian Ocean pacific ocean
Smalleyed Rabbitfish - Hydrolagus affinis Least Concern Europe North America atlantic Ocean New Hampshire Species
African Chimaera - Hydrolagus africanus Africa atlantic Ocean indian Ocean
Gulf Chimaera - Hydrolagus alberti North America atlantic Ocean
Whitespot Ghostshark - Hydrolagus alphus South America pacific ocean
Ninespot Chimaera - Hydrolagus barbouri Asia pacific ocean
Pale Ghost Shark - Hydrolagus bemisi Least Concern Australia pacific ocean
  White-spotted Ratfish - Hydrolagus colliei Least Concern North America pacific ocean
Blackfin Ghostshark - Hydrolagus lemures Least Concern Australia indian Ocean pacific ocean
Hydrolagus lusitanicus Europe atlantic Ocean
Bigeye Chimaera - Hydrolagus macrophthalmus South America pacific ocean
Hydrolagus matallanasi South America atlantic Ocean
Galapagos Ghostshark - Hydrolagus mccoskeri South America pacific ocean
Large-eyed Rabbitfish - Hydrolagus mirabilis Near Threatened Africa Europe atlantic Ocean
Hydrolagus mitsukurii pacific ocean
Dark Ghost Shark - Hydrolagus novaezealandiae Least Concern Australia pacific ocean
Ogilby's Ghostshark - Hydrolagus ogilbyi Near Threatened Australia indian Ocean pacific ocean
Pale Ghost Shark - Hydrolagus pallidus Least Concern Europe atlantic Ocean
Purple Ghostshark - Hydrolagus purpurescens Asia North America pacific ocean
Pointynose Blue Chimaera - Hydrolagus trolli Africa Australia atlantic Ocean pacific ocean

Additional Information

Resource Key
profile Profile Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio

White-spotted Ratfish - Hydrolagus colliei profile Photos Least Concern North America pacific ocean
The white-spotted ratfish is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Baja California
Source: Florida Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: High School

Smalleyed Rabbitfish - Hydrolagus affinis profile Photos Least Concern Europe North America atlantic Ocean New Hampshire Species
In North America, the smalleyed rabbitfish is found in ocean waters from Cape Cod to Nova Scotia.
Source: Gulf of Maine Research Institute Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School