The European chimera (lat. Chimaera monstrosa) is a cartilaginous fish of the Chimaeridae family of the Chimaeriformes order. Like sharks and rays, its axial skeleton consists of a cartilaginous chord without segmental constrictions.
The meat of this fish has an unpleasant aftertaste, so its extraction has no industrial significance. It is caught mainly only for its very large liver, which is used in folk medicine to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system and sore throat.
It got its name in honor of the monster of ancient Greek mythology with the body of a goat, the face of a lion and the tail of a snake.
The monster lived in the territory of what is now Turkey, spewed fire from its mouth and, like our dear Serpent-Gorynych, ate delicious captives from the Black Sea region.
The European chimera, despite its sharp, strong jaws, is not interested in humans and can only pose a danger to particularly stupid divers.
Distribution and behavior
This species is found in cool waters in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, southern Adriatic and western Mediterranean seas. In the north, the boundaries of the range are located off the southern coast of Iceland and Norway, and in the south, off the western coast of North Africa.
The European chimera also lives in the Azores and Great Britain. It is most often observed at depths from 100 to 500 m. Some individuals manage to descend to depths of up to 1500 m in search of food.
Fish prefer to be near the bottom in small schools.
Being very voracious predators, they tirelessly swim around their home area in search of prey. Large oar-like pectoral fins help them move quickly through the water.
The diet consists of marine mollusks, echinoderms and crustaceans. The mouth opening located on the lower part of the snout allows chimeras to deftly pick up food directly from the surface of the bottom. To search for prey, electroreceptors are used, which in structure resemble similar receptors in a shark.
Features of morphology
Gill covers cover 4 gill slits. There are two small splashes on the crown of the head. There is no stomach. The digestive tract of the European chimera consists of a tubular rectum.
The jaws are armed with hard dental plates. There are 2 pairs of such plates in the upper jaw, and one in the lower jaw. They are highly durable and can easily crush the shells of sea creatures.
To protect themselves from predators, chimeras use a poisonous spine located on their back.
In summer they like to stay in shallow waters, and as winter approaches they move to deeper waters.
Reproduction
The reproduction of European chimeras has been studied relatively little due to their secretive bottom-dwelling lifestyle. Each female ovary contains up to a hundred eggs, but only the two largest eggs mature and are laid.
Each such egg is placed in a huge bottle-shaped yellow-brown horny capsule approximately 16-17 cm long and 2-3 cm wide.
At first it is attached to the body of the female, and then, with the help of a bundle of long and tenacious threads, it is attached to stones, algae or to the hulls of sunken ships in close proximity to the bottom.
The female lays 2 eggs as they mature. The development of embryos, depending on environmental conditions, can last from 12 to 18 months. The hatchlings, about 11 cm long, are miniature copies of their parents. Immediately after birth, they begin to hunt on their own.
Description
The body length reaches 100-120 cm, and the weight is 2.5 kg. The elongated body is slightly compressed from the sides. The upper and lateral parts of the body are brown, and the ventral part is silvery with a gray tint. Light spots in the form of a marble pattern are visible on the sides.
A lateral line stretches along the middle of the body, branching on the head. The tail is very thin and long. The skin is devoid of scales and covered with a layer of mucus. Large pectoral fins are used as the main propulsion force.
The large head ends in a blunt snout. In males, a club-shaped frontal appendage grows on the head between the eyes. The first dorsal fin is short and high, and the second is long and low. A poisonous spine grows in front of the first dorsal fin.
The eyes with turquoise irises are located at the top of the head. There is a small mouth opening at the bottom of the snout.
The lifespan of the European chimera is about 30 years.
Today, the abundance of seafood products is so great that it is quite difficult to surprise their connoisseurs.
However, only recently has a mysterious fish, popularly called a sea hare, appeared on the wider market. Fans of culinary experiments will probably be interested in what kind of amazing creature this is and how it should be eaten.
What it looks like and where it is found
The true name of this fish sounds ominous - European chimera (Chimaera monstrosa). It belongs to chimera-like cartilaginous fish and is found in the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and is also found in the Barents Sea.
Did you know? The sea hare does not have a swim bladder, like a shark, so it is forced to constantly move to stay afloat.
Outwardly, this marine inhabitant does not look very attractive; its characteristic features are a large triangular head, a massive jaw and a long thread-like tail. This fish is called a hare because of some external similarity of its muzzle with a hare. 
Some seafood sellers call it a sea rabbit, but this is erroneous, since the sea rabbit is a separate representative of the underwater kingdom, which is a mollusk.
Calorie content and chemical composition
Marine chimera meat is a low-calorie dietary food:
- the calorie content of 100 grams of sea hare fillet is only 116 kcal;
- the meat contains essential omega-3 fatty acids;
- Chimera fillet is rich in vitamins A, E and D.
Beneficial features
Like any seafood, the European chimera has a lot of useful properties:
- first and most importantly, sea hare fillet is an ideal source of easily digestible protein, which is especially valuable for athletes and people involved in physical labor;
- the presence of fatty acids in meat has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, hair, nails, internal organs, in particular the liver, and regulates cholesterol levels in the blood;
Important! Few people know that the European chimera has a poisonous upper fin, so when cutting up a carcass you need to be extremely careful, trying not to touch it and get hurt.
- vitamins A, E, D, present in the fillet of this fish, are useful for exhaustion and hypervitaminosis.
Contraindications and harm
Of course, like any other product, sea hare meat is not healthy for everyone and not always:
- First of all, you need to take into account that this fish most often feeds at the bottom of the reservoir - accordingly, it is possible that it ate carrion and toxic products;
- like most seafood, chimera is a highly allergenic food, so it is best avoided by allergy sufferers, children under 3 years of age and pregnant women.
How to cook in the oven
The sea hare is an infrequent guest on the shelves of shops and markets; more often it can be found in restaurants as an exquisite delicacy. Indeed, preparing a chimera without certain experience and secrets may end in failure.
Its meat is quite tough, but at the same time juicy; when cooked correctly, it has a faint fishy taste and a dense consistency. If the fish was not fresh or the fins were damaged when cutting the carcass, the finished fillet will taste bitter. 
To avoid this, you need to buy seafood only in trusted places equipped with refrigerators. A fresh chimera should have clear eyes and red gills. There are quite a few recipes for preparing sea hare, but it must be taken into account that simply frying it in oil is not practical due to the specific nature of the meat.
You can best appreciate the taste of fish by baking it in the oven under various marinades and sauces that add juiciness and piquancy. Sea hare fillet turns out very tasty if you bake it under a double coat.
For this you will need:
- fish (1–2 medium carcasses);
- ground black pepper;
- spice mix for fish;
- greenery ;
- pickled cucumbers (3–4 medium-sized pieces);
- (3-4 cloves);
- (1 PC.);
- (approximately 300 g);
- (1 glass);
- (2 tablespoons);
- fresh champignons (about 200 g);
The deep waters of the mysterious oceans are inhabited by mysterious creatures. 400 million years ago, an unusual underwater inhabitant appeared - the chimera fish.
This creature is sometimes called a ghost shark. And this fish received the name chimera for its appearance. The fact is that in Greek mythology there was a legend about a monstrous woman, whose entire body was formed from parts of various animals. Seeing a fish with a strange appearance, the ancient Greeks decided that its body was not at all like an ordinary fish - but as if it was also made up of animal parts. That is why the chimera fish got its name.
This fish belongs to the cartilaginous fish, represents the order Chimera, family Chimaera.
Among the class of cartilaginous fish, chimeras were the very first to appear on our planet. They are considered distant relatives. Today, scientists have counted about 50 species of these unusual fish on our planet.
Appearance of chimera fish
The body length of an adult reaches 1.5 meters. The skin of these fish is smooth, with multi-colored tints. In males, between the eyes on the head there is a bone growth (spike) that has a curved shape.
The tail of these fish is very long, reaching a size equal to half the length of the entire body. A distinctive feature of the appearance of these representatives of the chimaera family can be called large wing-shaped lateral fins. By straightening them, the chimera becomes somewhat similar to a bird.
The colors of these fish are very diverse, but the predominant colors are light gray and black with frequent and large white patches throughout the surface. In the front part of the body, near the dorsal fin, chimeras have poisonous outgrowths; they are very strong and sharp. The animal uses them for its own protection.
Where does the “ghost shark” live?
Representatives of chimera fish can be found in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean - from Norway to Iceland, from the Mediterranean Sea to the southern coast of the African continent. In addition, these creatures live in the Barents Sea.
Behavior in nature
These fish are inhabitants of deep waters. They can be found at depths of over 2.5 kilometers. They lead a rather secretive lifestyle. That is why scientists still cannot study these creatures in detail.
It is only known that these fish hunt in the dark, by touch. To attract prey, they use special devices of the oral apparatus - photophores. These “devices” emit a glow, and the victim itself floats towards the light, right into the mouth of the chimera.
What constitutes the basis of the diet of deep-sea chimera fish?
These cartilaginous fish feed mainly on mollusks, echinoderms, and crustaceans. They can eat other fish that live at the same depths as the chimeras themselves. To eat armored and echinoderm animals that have sharp spines on their bodies, the chimera has sharp teeth that have decent strength and a strong grip.
How do chimeras breed their offspring?
These fish are dioecious creatures. After females mate with males, females lay eggs, which are placed in a special hard capsule.
The reproduction process, just like the lifestyle of these fish, is currently poorly studied by scientists.
Natural enemies of chimeras
Due to their deep-sea lifestyle, chimera fish have virtually no enemies. But there is one caveat: young individuals of these fish are often eaten by their own relatives, only older ones. That's what they are, these underwater predators!
Economic importance of chimeras
The meat of these fish is considered inedible, but people attribute miraculous properties of healing from many diseases to the fat extracted from the liver of these underwater inhabitants.
Attention, TODAY only!Like a hare fish. If you are interested in knowing what this sea creature is, then this article is for you. We will discuss whether there are benefits from this fish. We will also find out whether it poses any harm to the human body.
To see this fish in full, you need to consult a reference book. The point is that she is not sold head on. You can only purchase fragments of its fish body, so to speak. They are sold in purified form. Therefore, it is very difficult to understand what kind of fish it is in its original form. There is a lot of deception on fish counters. Since the hare fish is often passed off as a simple hake or pollock. The cod-like little fish are similar to our marine species.
Sharks use their ears to find food. Sharks are able to detect small electrical impulses in the water. This meaning can be very useful because all animals produce a certain type of electrical signal. This allows them to detect movements in the water from hundreds of meters away. Because they capture electrical signals generated by prey, they can detect the movements of other animals. The sixth sense exists thanks to electroreceptive organs called ampullae of Lorenzini, which were discovered not so long ago.
These bubbles are pores filled with gelatin. They are located around the head, with greater concentration near the snout, and are connected to the brain by nerve endings. In principle, bubbles are electric field detectors. Every living thing produces an electric field, and sharks can sense it.
What is hare fish?
This fish is cartilaginous. She doesn't have a bubble. Therefore, in order to stay afloat, she constantly needs to be on the move. Like the shark, this fish will otherwise simply fall to the seabed. Hare is prepared like any other fish. It needs to be salted, then coated with flour or batter, and then fried in a hot frying pan.
Oddly enough, sometimes sharks attack metal objects. This behavior is due to the fact that in the sea, metals emit electrical signals that make mining possible. Sharks can not only detect their prey, but also a diver or possible hunter without even seeing them.
The skin is made up of very small structures called dermal denticles. They are formed by the basal plate of bone. The dermal denticles have important functions both to reduce exhaustion during swimming and noise caused by the movement of the shark itself, as well as a protective function. As the animal grows, the dermal denticles grow in number rather than in size and are important in identifying different species.
Some sources indicate that this fish emits an unpleasant odor. But that's not true. Although the smell of hare is not as pleasant as the smell of cod, it does not stink obnoxiously. The taste of the finished fish is simply amazing. Regular fish has bones, but this one has cartilage. Thanks to this structure, fish meat is very easy to separate using cutlery.
Most shark species grow very slowly and take many years to reach sexual maturity. Sharks have a fairly long reproductive cycle, ranging from one to two years, as well as their gestation period. Gestation lasts three to four months for small species and up to two years or more for large sharks. Its birth rate is low compared to other fish, which can produce thousands to millions of eggs. 70% of sharks are born alive: they are viviparous or ovoid. The remaining 30% of egg production, i.e. lay eggs.
The embryo grows inside the egg and leaves only when it is fully developed. Ovoviviparity: Embryos develop inside an egg in the mother's uterus. They do not feed on the placenta, but on a fluid called the yolk, which is contained in the yolk sac. The embryo is nourished by the yolk sac until it is exposed to light from the mother.
- The fetus is nourished through the mother's blood through the umbilical cord.
- Oviparatic: the mother seals the egg in a collagen capsule.
- These capsules are important because you protect them from predators.
- The mother releases the eggs into the sea, entangling them with algae or coral.
Benefits and harms
Distrust of our fish is caused by the fact that it is considered an exotic product, and many people know absolutely nothing about it. In fact, hare fish meat is very nutritious and juicy. This fish was not considered suitable for consumption until the twentieth century. Now it is a rare delicacy in many expensive restaurants around the world.
There are species of sharks that live in tropical waters and others that live in temperate and cold waters. Photo 2: Distribution of sharks in the world. Rays are cartilaginous fish and are closely related to sharks. The main part of the body is very smooth both above and below. The pectoral fins are attached to the back of the skull to form a body disc.
They have a small tail and are not used for swimming. Movement is produced by the extremities of the pectoral fins, but most lack dorsal and caudal fins. The eyes are located at the top. Foundation objects locate them thanks to the olfactory system developed in the lateral line and electroreceptors.
She's very helpful. It contains quite a lot of protein, which is easily and quickly absorbed by the human body. It also contains a lot of vitamins such as A, E, and D. Moreover, this fish is filled with useful minerals. Since fish contains a large amount of fatty acids, its meat is considered particularly nutritious. The calorie content of fish is such that for one hundred grams of its meat there are one hundred and sixteen kcal.
To breathe, the rays do not enter the water through the mouth, but through spiracles located behind the eyes. The gill slits are located on the lower surface. . The skin of the rays is formed, like that of sharks, by dermal denticles, which allow them to have better hydrodynamism.
The rays, which protect themselves, have poisonous bites and electrical organs. These animals have two organs called electroplates located on either side of the head. Electrical boards do not recharge immediately and can therefore take anywhere from a few minutes to several days.
The rays' venom is produced by glandular tissue arranged in two parallel grooves located behind the bite, which is usually proportional to the size of the line. There are stripes in almost all the world's seas; they are marine animals par excellence. They usually live near the coast. These animals are born near the coast and as they grow they move into deeper waters, especially in winter.
Is there any harm from eating this fish? You can only suffer if you are personally intolerant to this marine product. Our hare also has a poisonous fin. This is the top fin. Because of this, fish carcasses should be separated with extreme caution. The fish is quite oily. It should not be abused.
additional information
The fish has expressive eyes. Apparently, this is the reason that she was given such a name as a hare. But she is nothing more like an ordinary hare. Since fish lead an unusual lifestyle, they are sometimes called the rats of the seas. They feed on solid foods such as shellfish or crayfish. The fish's jaws are very powerful, so fishermen are very careful with this fish. The hare lays eggs. Scandinavians eat these eggs.
They lie on the ground, and sometimes they bury themselves in the sand; they remain motionless for a long time, thus they maintain the possibility of eventual prey. The stripes move due to the wavy or vertical movements of the pectoral fins.
They are covered with a viscous layer that smoothes out body irregularities, reducing surface tension and friction during movement. Also, like sharks, they lack a swim bladder, but thanks to their pectoral fins they avoid diving. This feature eliminates the need to have a developed liver to improve buoyancy.
The price issue is not certain. The cost of fish fluctuates. In general, hare fish costs a little more than regular cod. But you won’t find our fish in every store. There is a better chance of finding this delicacy in special stores selling exotic marine products. The hare fish is also of the aquarium type. It is decorative and is not consumed as food. This kind of fish is very expensive.
The most primitive fish among them are cartilaginous fish. Fossil evidence suggests that they were once an abundant and highly diverse order. Long ago they were related to sharks, although their evolutionary line split 400 million years ago and they have remained an isolated group ever since.
Characteristics of chimeras
Photo 4: Image of the depth chimera. Like sharks, chimeras do not have bones, but cartilage. Its skin is soft and consists of placoid scales. The lateral lines that cross the body of chimeras are mechano-receptive organs that detect pressure waves. In the frontal part of the face there are some lines formed by points called ampullae of Lorenzini, which detect electrical signals generated by living beings.
It is believed that sellers sell fish much higher than the stated price. They may invent their own names for the hare fish to show it as a rarer and more expensive fish. Some even sell tasteless fish with tough meat, passing it off as a chimera. It is easy to fall for such deception.
The fact that the fish has a rather funny nickname. This suggests that it is not extremely rare. Abroad, it is found in many restaurants. You shouldn’t be afraid and believe all the nonsense about hare fish that you can find in various sources. This fish is healthy, tasty, and not very expensive.
Reproduction of chimeras we can say that the males do not have a penis, but other very interesting genital organs. Like sharks, chimeras also have flower stalks which they use to grasp the female and have grooves to guide sperm. Chimeras have direct development, meaning they hatch in the mother's body and emerge as small fish.
What is the ecological role of sharks in the seas?
For example, white sharks are very important from an ecological point of view because they have direct control over the populations of tuna, seals, turtles, dolphins, and sea lions. They also have another important function as scavengers because they feed on dead whales and pilot whales and help process organic matter so that it can be used by other organisms.
If you have a chance to try the meat of this fish, do not deny yourself this pleasure. Be sure to try this one. Its taste is reminiscent of shark meat. Therefore, not everyone will like it as a main course. So, now you know what hare fish is. You know why it is useful and whether it can be dangerous. You have all the information you need about our exotic fish. You know that hare fish can be a great addition to your overall diet.
In short, sharks influence their composition, helping to preserve biodiversity. Every year, millions of sharks are killed in addition to accidental catches, especially a truly absurd practice called shark finning: after being captured with their owner, they board a boat and cut off the dorsal and lateral fins. They are then thrown into the sea, still alive, unable to breathe or swim, they flood and die very slowly.
All this is yet to be done due to the demand for shark soup, which has no nutritional value and no taste, especially in Asian countries such as China. Species that survive uncontrolled fishing cannot reproduce quickly enough to compensate for the number of sharks killed. This situation threatens the balance of marine ecosystems around the world. Sharks are important predators that have characterized marine life for over 400 million years and are important to the health of the planet.
Recipe (video)
Fish lovers are divided into two camps: some claim that the chimera is inedible, and others claim that it makes excellent dishes. Be that as it may, the sea rabbit (this is another name for a chimera, along with the sea hare) can now often be seen on store shelves. The fish was called a chimera for its eerie appearance: it has an unattractive head and a very long lower fin. Apparently, due to the scary appearance, the carcasses of this fish are sold already cleaned. We bought one of these and decided to experiment. Chimera in the oven with vegetables it turned out very tasty!
Diving with sharks, blankets and rays or watching sharks in an aquarium
One way to get close to these animals is by diving or observing in aquariums. Another way to observe sharks is in aquariums, where in addition to sharks, you can also observe other marine animals. In aquariums, behavior can also be modified, but given the inability to submerge, they are a great option.
Animals often camouflage themselves to deceive their predators. Inevitably, when you talk about camouflage, you have colors and textures. Think of the white hare that gets tangled up in the snow, those insects that look like leaves or branches, or that owl that has no one to find but that wakes you up every day at five o'clock in the morning.
Ingredients:
sea rabbit carcass – 1 piece;
carrots – 1 piece;
onion – 1 piece;
salt - to taste;
seasonings for fish - to taste;
lemon – ½ piece;
vegetable oil - a few tablespoons.
Cooking chimera in the oven.
Take the required amount of ingredients.
But there are several other types of camouflage. There is, for example, sound camouflage. Some moths are capable of emitting ultrasounds that confuse bats when they try to detect them using an eco-localization system. There is also chemical camouflage, like the one used by the protagonist of our story: fish.
This fish lives in Australian waters, in an ecosystem rich in corals, from which it usually feeds. In doing so, it ingests and processes chemical compounds from the corals, some of which are responsible for its smell. Thanks to various mechanisms, the fish uses these substances and manages to smell the corals. This gives it a huge adaptive advantage as it allows it to hide from its predators, who cannot tell the difference between fish and coral.
Let's start with: before putting them in the oven together with the fish, the carrots and onions need to be stewed. Therefore, we peel the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater. Place a frying pan on the fire, pour a little vegetable oil on the bottom and lay out the grated carrots.
While the carrots are stewing, peel the white onion (it has a much more delicate taste than regular white onions), cut into half rings and also add to the frying pan. Mix the vegetables, add salt, add a few tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Simmer until fully cooked, stirring occasionally.
Some moths are capable of emitting ultrasounds that deceive bats. Researchers studied this phenomenon using two different methods. First, they placed the 007 fish and corals at the ends of the tank. They dropped a crab in the middle of it, which feeds on the same coral as our secret agent, and they closed their eyes. The poor crab was disoriented and didn't know where to go. The two ends of the pool smelled of a delicious and precious delicacy, poor man. About half the time, the experiment ended with free tea for the crab.
Now let's get to the fish. There is one short fin on the carcass - we cut it off with scissors. The chimera itself looks beautiful: it has speckled silver sides.
Cut the fish into pieces 2-3 centimeters thick.
But the other half turned out to be an elusive character that, unfortunately, was not edible for him. Conclusion: the smell of fish is indistinguishable from the smell of coral, even for a demanding gourmet. On the other hand, they did a similar experiment by placing a fish near a coral and releasing a cod, the deadly archaemia of our fish 007. The cod was unable to find its prey, perfectly camouflaged among the corals. However, if 007 hid in a different coral than the one that usually serves breakfast, the cod ended up being chased.
Chemical camouflage has been known for some time. However, the study authors emphasize that this is the first time diet-based chemical camouflage has been observed in a vertebrate. This has been seen as similar in caterpillars, which survive ant attacks using a similar strategy.
Pour salt and fish seasonings into a small bowl. Mix them and rub each piece of fish with this mixture. While the vegetables are stewing, the fish will be marinated in spices. To enhance the effect, you can even put it in the refrigerator during this time.
If the carrots are already ready, you can take a baking dish and transfer the vegetables into it. Additionally, there is no need to grease the pan with oil, because the fat will transfer along with the carrots and onions.
Place sea rabbit pieces on top of the vegetables. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto the fish.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, place the dish with the fish in it and bake for 20 minutes.
Chimera fish in the oven is ready! It should be served hot. An excellent side dish would be mashed potatoes or boiled rice. In a similar way, you can bake a chimera without carrots - only with onions.
Order Chimaeriformes (V. M. Makushok)
Modern representatives of the order are characterized by a squamous body, somewhat compressed laterally and thinning towards the tail. Of the two dorsal fins, the first is located above the pectoral fins, short, high, armed with a strong spine in front; both the spike and the fin itself can be folded and retracted into the corresponding recess on the back. The second dorsal fin is very long, extends back almost to the beginning of the caudal fin, and is not folded. The narrow caudal fin is often continued in the form of a long thread. The anal fin is small, separated from the caudal fin by a deep notch or completely fused with it. The fan-shaped paired fins are well developed, the pelvic fins are smaller than the pectoral fins and are moved far back, attaching at the level of the anus. The fins have fleshy bases, their blades are thin and flexible. The mouth is small, lower, with a three-lobed upper lip. 5 pairs of gill arches and 4 pairs of gill openings are covered by a fold of skin, which is supported by finger-like cartilages. The squirter disappears in the early stages of development. The pterygopodia of males, to one degree or another, are equipped with placoid denticles, in the form of solid formations, bipartite or even tripartite. In addition to pterygopodia, males develop special organs supported by a cartilaginous skeleton and armed with strong spines. These are the so-called “holders” (tenacula), which serve to hold the female during copulation. They are represented by an unpaired frontal appendage and paired abdominal ones. The naked body is covered with abundant mucus. Placoid scales (“skin teeth”), covering the body of some extinct whole-headed animals and characteristic of elasmobranchs, are preserved in living chimaeras, as a rule, only in connection with functional specialization on pterygopodia and male holders and are transformed into the spine of the anterior dorsal fin and small rings that enclose the bed of the channels of the “lateral line” system. In some species, these formations in the form of denticles are also preserved on the back.
Chimaeras are predominantly deep-sea bottom-dwelling fish that inhabit the shelf and slope of continental shallows at depths ranging from several meters to 2500 m in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Absent from the Arctic Ocean and Antarctic waters. Not recorded in our waters. Reach a length of 60 cm up to 2 m. Females are larger than males.
While not fast swimmers, chimaeras move due to the eel-like bending of the tail of the body and the wave-like movement of the pectoral fins. In this case, the pelvic fins, which play the role of stabilizers, are arranged in a horizontal plane. They are more active at night, and even shallow-water forms, judging by aquarium observations, do not like bright light. Resting on the bottom, they rest on the tips of paired fins and on the tail. The fish are very gentle, offer almost no resistance when caught and quickly die out of water. They do not take root well in an aquarium.
They breathe with their mouths closed, as they pump water to the gills through the nostrils, which communicate with the oral cavity.
They feed mainly on bottom invertebrates (mollusks, crabs, brittle stars and sea urchins); occasionally small fish are found in their stomachs. Food is not swallowed whole, but is bitten off in small pieces or crushed by powerful dental plates.
Fertilization is internal; carried out using pterygopodia. Each female ovary contains up to 100 eggs, but only 2 large eggs mature and are laid at the same time, each of which is enclosed in a huge horny capsule 12-42 in length cm. Capsules are deposited directly on the ground or attached to stones and algae. The incubation of the embryo lasts 9-12 months, in which a bundle of long external gill filaments develops on each side. Apparently, the yolk is absorbed through these gills, most of which is located outside the yolk sac. By the time the embryo emerges from the capsule, the external gills disappear, and the babies are similar in appearance to their parents.
Chimaeras are schooling fish, at least shallow-water species. Caught in the USA (Pacific coast), Argentina, Chile, New Zealand and China. In the last two countries, chimaera meat is used as food. In some places, the oil extracted from the liver of these fish is highly valued, used as a medicine and as an excellent lubricant.
The extinct representatives of the order, comprising 13 families, are known from the Lower Jurassic, and the modern genera Chimaera and Callorhinchus are known from the Upper Cretaceous. About 30 living species belong to three closely related families.
Family Chimaeridae
This family is characterized by a blunt snout, bifid or tripartite pterygopodia in males, and other characters. Some species have a venom gland at the base of the dorsal spine. The family includes 21-22 species classified into two genera: in the genus Chimaera the anal fin is separate from the caudal fin, and in the genus Hydrolagus these fins are completely fused.
Genus Chimeras(Chimaera) includes 6 species. Of these, the most famous European chimera(Chimaera monstrosa), living in the Eastern Atlantic from Iceland and Norway to the Mediterranean Sea and off the coast of South Africa (absent in tropical waters). In the Barents Sea it is common up to Finnmarken and only occasionally enters the Varanger Fjord. Reaches a length of 1.5 m.
The back is colored in reddish-brown tones, the silvery sides are dotted with yellowish-brown spots, and a blackish-brown border runs along the edge of the caudal and dorsal fins.
In the north it is most common at depths of 200-500 m, and in the south (off the coast of Morocco) - at depths of 350-700 m. In winter it approaches the shores; in the Norwegian fjords it is caught at this time at a depth of 90-180 m. Usually single individuals are caught in a trawl, but in the spring off Northwestern Norway several dozen specimens are often caught in one trawling. Lays eggs all year round, excluding the autumn months. The egg capsule is fusiform, 15-18 long cm, with a characteristic strongly elongated and thin anterior end. Chimeras are not eaten. Liver fat has long been famous for its healing properties, especially for lubricating wounds and abrasions.
Cuban chimera(Ch. cubana), which was previously mistaken for a European chimera, is known from the coast of Cuba from a depth of 400-500 m. Other species of the genus are recorded in the waters of Japan, in the Yellow Sea and off the Philippine Islands.
Genus Hydrolags(Hydrolagus) contains 15-16 species: 3 species are known from the North Atlantic, 4-5 species from the waters of Japan, 3 species from the waters of Australia and one species each from South Africa, New Zealand, the Philippines, Hawaii and the North -west coast of North America.
Best studied American hydrolag(N. colliei), living at depths of 40-60 m along the American coast from Baja California to Western Alaska. It is somewhat smaller than the European chimera. In some places it is found in such abundance that it fills trawls to the limit. It breeds all year round, but the most intensive reproduction occurs in August - September. Aquarium observations have shown that the release of horny egg capsules lasts up to 30 hours, after which the female drags the capsules suspended on elastic (attachment) threads for several days until the threads break and the capsules end up on the ground. Mature oocytes reach 2 cm in diameter. Not used for food. Liver fat is used in some parts of Canada to clean guns, and has recently found increasing use as an excellent lubricant for precision instruments.
Family Rhinochimaeridae, or Nosed chimeras (Rhinochimaeridae)
Fishes of this family are distinguished by a highly elongated pointed snout and solid pterygopodia in males. Nosed chimeras, numbering 3 genera, are the deepest representatives of the order, inhabiting the lower part of the shelf and the continental slope. As a result, they are known from a small number of finds, and the biology of representatives of this family has not been studied at all.
Genus Garriott(Harriotta) is represented by one species (N. raleighana), known from depths of 700-2500 m from the North Atlantic and from the waters of Japan and California. Apparently, the harriota also lives in the Indian Ocean, from where an embryonic capsule presumably belonging to this species is known. Painted in a smooth chocolate brown color.
By the time they emerge from the capsule, the embryos reach a length of 15 cm, and the largest of the caught females was 99 in length cm.
Neo-Garriote(Neoharriotta pinnata) noted off West Africa at a depth of 220-470 m, and from the Caribbean Sea from a depth of 360-550 m Neoharriotta carri is known. Genus Nosed chimera(Rhinochimaera), which gives the family its name, is known from two species: R. atlantica (North Atlantic) and R. pacifica (Japan).
Family Callorhynchidae, or Proboscis-snouted chimeras (Callorhinchidae)
The proboscis chimera family is represented by only one genus Callorhynchus(Callorhinchus), which is remarkable in that the front part of its snout is elongated into a kind of trunk, strongly compressed from the sides, the end of which is sharply bent back and bears a transverse leaf-shaped blade. It is assumed that this organ, shaped like a plow or, rather, a hoe, serves both as a locator and as a shovel, and that a fish hovering above the bottom with its help, like a mine detector, can detect invertebrate animals buried in the ground, and with its help help dig them out. Tail without threadlike continuation; its axis is slightly curved upward, and the lower lobe of the caudal fin in front is much higher than its upper lobe (i.e., the tail is heterocercal). The short anal fin is separated from the caudal fin by a deep notch, and the dorsal fins are widely spaced. The spinal column is devoid of calcified rings surrounding the notochord. Pterygopodia of males are in the form of solid rods, without club-shaped swellings at the ends. The abdominal “holders” are spoon-shaped, with multi-vertex teeth along the inner edge, the openings of their pockets are directed along the body. The same pockets, but smaller, are also found in females.
Representatives of the genus Callorhynchus live only in temperate and moderately cold waters of the southern hemisphere - off the coast of South America (from Southern Brazil and Peru to Tierra del Fuego), South Africa, South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. The question of the number of species in this genus has not yet been resolved. Some researchers tend to distinguish 3-4 species, while others consider them to be geographical populations of the same species, Callorhinchus callorhinchus. Callorhynchus often reaches more than a meter in length and weighs up to 10 kg. They are colored greenish-yellow, with three black stripes along the sides of the body. Apparently, thanks to the special light-refracting properties of the mucus covering their body, freshly caught callorhynchus shimmer with such a rich range of silvery-rainbow shades that no color photograph can convey it. Usually caught at depths of 5-50 m. In Tasmania, large schools of these fish often enter shallow bays and even rivers. With the onset of cold weather they descend to depths of up to 200 m and more. Females lay huge germ capsules ranging in length from 17 to 42 cm.
In New Zealand it is caught in quite large quantities and is used as food. Fresh callorhynch meat has excellent taste, but as soon as it sits for a little while, it begins to give off an ammonia smell (a feature, by the way, that is also characteristic of shark meat).
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