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Rat Fish
Also called Rabbit Fish

Chimaera monstrosa


Where is it found?

Picture
Marine

Diet and foraging method

Picture
Little is known about the feeding habits of Chimaeras, but probably pick prey from the substrate
Picture
Picture

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

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