Rat Fish
Also called Rabbit Fish
Chimaera monstrosa
Where is it found?
Marine
Diet and foraging method
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Little is known about the feeding habits of Chimaeras, but probably pick prey from the substrate
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Key adaptations
Rabbit fish have a long venomous spine on their back for predator defence, and teeth fused into plates for crushing hard-shelled prey. They move by flapping their large, broad pectoral fins.
Social organisation and mating system
N/A
Did you know that...?
Chimaeras are one of the oldest groups of animals alive today!
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Chimaera species (Indonesia)" by NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, INDEX-SATAL 2010, NOAA/OER - http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/expl2182.htm. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chimaera_species_(Indonesia).jpg#/media/File:Chimaera_species_(Indonesia).jpg
"Chimaera monstrosa1" by Krüger - Illustrations de Ichtyologie ou histoire naturelle générale et particulière des Poissons Bloch, Marcus Elieser, J. F. Hennig, Plumier, Krüger, Pater, Schmidt, Ludwig, Bodenehr, Moritz 1795-1797 (Bibliothèque nationale de France). Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chimaera_monstrosa1.jpg#/media/File:Chimaera_monstrosa1.jpg
"PSM V11 D547 Northern chimera" by Unknown - Popular Science Monthly Volume 11. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PSM_V11_D547_Northern_chimera.jpg#/media/File:PSM_V11_D547_Northern_chimera.jpg
"Chimaera species (Indonesia)" by NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, INDEX-SATAL 2010, NOAA/OER - http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/expl2182.htm. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chimaera_species_(Indonesia).jpg#/media/File:Chimaera_species_(Indonesia).jpg
"Chimaera monstrosa1" by Krüger - Illustrations de Ichtyologie ou histoire naturelle générale et particulière des Poissons Bloch, Marcus Elieser, J. F. Hennig, Plumier, Krüger, Pater, Schmidt, Ludwig, Bodenehr, Moritz 1795-1797 (Bibliothèque nationale de France). Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chimaera_monstrosa1.jpg#/media/File:Chimaera_monstrosa1.jpg
"PSM V11 D547 Northern chimera" by Unknown - Popular Science Monthly Volume 11. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PSM_V11_D547_Northern_chimera.jpg#/media/File:PSM_V11_D547_Northern_chimera.jpg
