| Family: |
Chimaeridae (Shortnose chimaeras or ratfishes) |
| Max. size: |
103.5 cm TL (male/unsexed); 97.5 cm TL (female); max.weight: 4,805.0 g |
| Environment: |
bathydemersal; marine; depth range 846 - 1350 m |
| Distribution: |
Southwest Pacific: deep water slopes and plateaus surrounding New Zealand (Challenger Plateau, Chatham Slope and Rise, Hikurangi Trench, Campbell Plateau,
Bounty Plateau). |
| Diagnosis: |
This species is distinguished by the following characters: a short, blunt snout and an anal fin separate from the ventral caudal margin by a notch; medium-bodied with a gently rounded snout; large eye; oral and preopercular lateral line canals usually share a short common branch off of the infraorbital canal; relatively short first dorsal fin and spine; second dorsal fin even along height, long caudal dorsal and ventral margins, short, trifurcate pelvic claspers, divided distally for approximately one-third of their length; body colour uniform pale-brown, mouth and ventral snout darker with brownish-purple fins and highly deciduous skin. Distinguished from its closest congeners, Chimaera fulva, C. macrospina, and C. obscura, by a combination of morphological characters (longer caudal dorsal margin, shorter pelvic claspers, shorter dorsal fin spine, shorter first dorsal fin, and longer caudal ventral margin) and coloration (Ref. 107024). |
| Biology: |
The depth range of occurrence of this species seems to follow the 1000 m depth contour around New Zealand, but may be an artifact of sampling. Size range for juvenile females 27.7-75.9 cm TL (18.2-37.6 body length) and males 41.0-83.5 cm TL (16.7-52.2 cm BDL); for adult females 85.5-103.5 cm TL (51.9-59.9 cm BDL) and males 74.0-97.5 cm TL (48.7-57.0 cm BDL) (Ref. 107024). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 23 June 2017 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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