#chimaeriformes

Chimaeras are some of my favorite cartilaginous fish :)

I love ratfish. They remind me of butterflies.

harriotta has a disgustingly sensitive nose and will not shy away from using it to sniff out your secrets and tell them to the world, so make sure you aren't hiding anything when you're near him, or just don't get near him at all!! 🦷🦷🦷🦷

shlompiness rating: cusp of the tooth

photo from the NOAA OKEANOS Explorer Program (CC BY 2.0)

There's nothing to be scared of about the Australian ghostshark-- it's neither a shark, nor a ghost! Known in Maori as makorepe, this species is actually a chimera; a cartilaginous fish related to sharks, rays, and skates. It's other common English name, the elephant fish, accurately describes the long snouts which they use to search for food along the ocean floor.

So I present to you - the gorgeous, the cute, the ones with a thousand names, the elusive:

Asen Seekatzen, or asen chimearas in english

I think they make cool asen*spec symbols :D

Spotted Ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei)

(Photo from Aquarium of the Pacific)

Conservation Status- Least Concern

Habitat- Eastern Pacific Ocean

Size (Weight/Length)- 90 cm

Diet- Small fish; Crustaceans; Shellfish

Cool Facts- With fossil records going back 400 million years ago, the spotted ratfish lived before land plants even existed. The majority of their lives are spent wandering the ocean floor almost 900 meters down. Using their sensitive snout, spotted ratfish search for anything that can fit in their mouths. During their spawning seasons, females travel to shallower waters to lay a dozen egg sacks in the sand. Once the deed is done, mom leaves the eggs. Due to their plant-like appearance, the eggs are generally undisturbed for the entire year it takes to hatch. Spotted ratfish are generally shy and prefer running to confrontation. However, some larger females are willing to chase people from their territory using a venomous spine on their dorsal fin.

Rating- 13/10 (Was around before and after the dinosaurs.)

Pointy-nosed blue chimaera Hydrolagus trolli

Also known as the ghostshark, this fish inhabits deep-sea waters in the Southern Ocean. It has a venomous spine in front of its dorsal fin, which is used in defense.

Chimaera (Chimaeriformes)