Like a hare fish. If you are interested in knowing what this is sea creature, 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. Each Living being produces an electric field that sharks can perceive.
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. When an animal grows, the skin teeth do not grow in size, but in number and have important when identifying different species.
Some sources indicate that this fish emits bad smell. 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 tail small size 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 number 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 that protect themselves have poisonous bites, 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. More chances to find this delicacy in special stores exotic products marine significance. 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. Don’t be afraid and believe all the nonsense about the hare fish that you can encounter 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, chimaeras also have flower stalks which they use to grasp the female and have grooves to guide sperm. Chimeras have direct development, that is, they hatch in the mother's body and appear 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 has yet to be done due to the demand for shark soup, without nutritional value and lacks 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 are misleading bats, when they try to detect them using the 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 on the bottom vegetable oil and add 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 full readiness, stirring occasionally.
Some moths are capable of emitting misleading ultrasounds. the 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 put 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. Would be an excellent side dish mashed potatoes or boiled rice. In a similar way, you can bake a chimera without carrots - only with onions.
.. or Adventures of a Housewife.
Friends, recently at the market I saw a beautiful fish: a silvery carcass with spots without a head and tail, only 1 fin across the entire back, a clean stomach, white meat and no scales! Not a fish, but a housewife's dream!
The only thing that confused me was the name - Chimera.
What is a chimera
In a word Chimera in ancient Greece they called fictional monsters that combined parts of various animals - a lion, a goat and a snake. The ugly appearance was combined with an evil disposition.
But the fish lying in front of me was so good that, despite vague forebodings, I bought it.
How I prepared the chimera
At home, I quickly cleaned the chimera, cut it into pieces, salted and peppered it, rolled it in flour and put it in a frying pan in hot oil.
The fish was fried, but not golden crust, no thick fishy smell appeared. Another time you fry fish, the smell is enough to take away the saints. And then time goes by and nothing happens!
I tried a thin piece - the fish is no longer raw, but it does not come off the spine, it crumbles.
The pug Filimon, a big fish lover, was hanging around nearby. We ate a small piece of the chimera with him. My mouth felt bitter.
Our pug loves fish)))
What kind of fish is a chimera?
Feeling a strange taste, I thought: “Maybe I’m cooking chimera fish incorrectly?” I decided to look on the Internet.
The very first headline blew me away. I quote:
Is chimera fish edible?
And then it was written: “Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Chimera fish was considered inedible.” True, the Scandinavians used its liver to prepare wound-healing medicines (well, this still doesn’t say anything, their knights and fly agarics ate them), and the cunning Japanese learned to cook the chimera in some special way (that is, it became clear that according to traditional fish You can’t cook a chimera with recipes).
What does a chimera fish look like?
A photo of the fish was attached to the description. Indeed, a monster: a huge head, large, white eyes, green pupil. The pectoral fins are so large that they resemble wings, and half of the one and a half meter body is a thin tail. It's not for nothing that a chimera is on sale - without a head and tail...
That's what she is, a chimera. Photo: blogtiburones.com
No, the fish cannot be called ugly. She's just scary. Maybe that’s why there are legends about how, having gathered in a flock, predatory chimeras attack people, gnawing off pieces of them.
Arctic chimera, drawing: twinkleinglight.tumblr.com
Do chimeras really attack humans?
I think that these are fairy tales and not true, after all, the chimera is a deep-sea fish. But I don’t recommend dating her, even fried. The bitterness in my mouth remained for several hours. What if the piece of fish eaten was larger?
Imagine the epitaph... “Natasha Rybka, who died from the Chimera fish”)))))))
Afterword
I didn’t take a photo of either the fresh or the fried chimera, I was so stunned by the whole situation at the time. And a week later I went to the market again, to the fish rows. To take a picture of this strange, conditionally edible (or, still not?) creature for history.
The chimera was in place. But instead of its terrible name, the price tag read: sea hare. I thought it was disguised. Well, what can you expect from a chimera?
I asked the seller why you sell inedible fish. She assured that that batch of chimera (aka sea hare) was frozen incorrectly, which is why it tasted bitter. Well, you know, I didn’t bother checking to see if this was true, health is more valuable.
Also, for impressionable dog breeders, I hasten to assure that not a single pug was harmed during the preparation of the chimera.)))
Well, can this long tail of a chimera be called a fin?! This is just some kind of whip. Photo: zoosite.com.ua
Comments from the site administration
We also became interested in the question of what kind of fish this is, a chimera.
First, we looked at the search to see what they were looking for with the word Chimera. The results were impressive. This is not only Max Fry's Nests of Chimeras... a chimera claw (we didn't find claws on the fish), and a house with chimeras (what a horror), and a harpy, a gargoyle (also scary), but pike command(some optimists were looking for this), Woland, tantalum torment and even Homeric laughter.
We ended up on an Italian forum, where one of the participants told with surprise how he found this wonderful fish on the counter, asking his friends how it could even be that this horror ended up on the market.
We quote:
I agree that it is a shame to see a chimera (sea rabbit) among the game fish...Probably, she was caught by accident, it was a pity to abandon her, so they tried to sell the chimera. But I don't know anyone who has the courage to eat a chimera!
Thank you very much for your comments about the sea rabbit (chimera). Now it needs to be put in the refrigerator, tomorrow I will bring it to the marine biology department where we meet, and I think it will be preserved in formaldehyde.
Hi all.
one lady asked:
One thing is not clear to me...
You are indignant because you are disgusted to see a chimera on sale,because: 1) is rare species, which cannot be caught or 2) tastes lame?
The chimera shark is one of the prehistoric representatives of marine fauna. This individual has been caught more than once, so it does not seem mythical to scientists. What is surprising, however, is that such sharks lived in the seas four hundred million years ago.
These creatures are sometimes called ghosts. And the name is chimera this fish received for its appearance. The point is that in Greek mythology There was a legend about a monster whose entire body was formed from parts of various animals. Mythological monster, the offspring of Typhon and Echidna, had the head and neck of a lion, his body was a goat in the middle, and a snake in the back. From the middle of the Chimera's spine grew a goat's head, and its tail ended with the head of a dragon. This is exactly how the Chimera is depicted in the famous bronze statue from Arezzo, which dates back to the 5th century. All three mouths of the monster spewed fire, destroying all living things around, and no one could approach it. The Chimera terrified people for a long time until it was killed by the handsome Bellerophon (other myths attribute this feat to Perseus), who took to the air on the winged horse Pegasus. Shooting from above with a bow, the young man showered the Chimera with a rain of lead-tipped arrows. As if in furnaces, the metal instantly melted from the fire and flooded all three of the Chimera’s mouths spewing flames, hastening the end of the demonic creature.
It was very difficult to imagine a chimera - it is not so easy to create a single beast from a lion, a goat and a snake. Over time, the awkward image of a living creature disappeared, but the word remained, denoting something unimaginable, impossible. A false idea, an unrealizable fantasy - this is the definition of a chimera given by modern dictionaries. Seeing a fish with a strange appearance, the ancient Greeks decided that its body did not at all resemble an ordinary fish, but that it was also made up of parts of different animals. This is where the name of this fish comes from.
Marine chimeras are deep-sea fish, the oldest inhabitants among modern cartilaginous fish - distant relatives modern sharks. The ancient fish with a curl of sharp teeth, like a hacksaw blade, has long been considered a representative of the superorder of sharks, but a detailed study carried it out to a different group, but close to sharks. This group belongs to a genus called Helicoprion.
The genus Helicoprion was first described in 1899 from admittedly incomplete specimens, most of which were little more than a spiral cluster of teeth. Although some fossils also preserved hints of cartilaginous tissue, there was no braincase or postcranial skeleton. Therefore, scientists could not say anything about what this creature looked like. Some suggested, however, that it had a nose similar to the trunk of an elephant, in which, in fact, this mysterious toothy curl was located. Others placed the strange appendage either on the tail, or on the dorsal fins, or imagined it hanging from the lower jaw.
NEWEST X-RAY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY ESPECIALLY GOOD surviving specimen found in 1950 in American state Idaho still points to the lower jaw. The specimen, which lived 270 million years ago, contains not only 117 teeth, but also the cartilage to which they were attached. Judging by the size and shape of the latter, the creature was approximately 4 m in length, and some Helicoprions grew to almost 8 m. The location of the tissues of the lower jaw of the animal, partially hidden by the rock and therefore inaccessible to the naked eye, definitely shows that Helicoprion is not a shark. It is proposed to classify this genus as a chimera, another order of cartilaginous fish.
All over the world this fish is called the most different names, which reflect its special appearance, including chimera, rabbit fish, leopard fish and elephant fish. Chimeras are sometimes called "ghost sharks." These fish live at very great depths, sometimes exceeding 2.5 km. About 400 million years ago, the common ancestors of modern sharks and chimeras split into two orders. Some preferred habitats near the surface. Others, on the contrary, chose their place of residence great depths and evolved over time to modern chimeras. Currently, science knows 50 species of these fish. Most do not rise to depths greater than 200 m, and only rabbitfish and ratfish have been seen at shallow depths.
Chimeras grow up to 1.5 m. It is noteworthy that the tail of these fish is very long, it reaches a size equal to half the length of the entire body. This type of deep-sea fish has a long nose and a scary mouth. 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 like a bird. 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 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.
They lead a rather secretive lifestyle. That is why scientists still cannot study these creatures in detail. The habitat of chimeras makes them very difficult to study. Very little is known about their habits, reproduction, and hunting methods. The accumulated knowledge suggests that chimeras hunt in much the same way as other deep-sea fish. In complete darkness, what is important for successful hunting is not speed, but the ability to find prey literally by touch. Most deep sea creatures use photophores. These "devices" emit a glow that attracts prey directly into the chimera's mouth.
TO SEARCH FOR PREY, THESE CREATURES USE A CHARACTERISTIC OPEN, very sensitive lateral line, which is one of their distinctive features. It must be said that at depths of over 600 m there are quite a few enemies. large fish not so many, with the exception of particularly voracious large female Indiancanths. The greatest danger to young chimeras is their relatives; cannibalism is not a rare phenomenon for chimeras, although most of their diet consists of mollusks, echinoderms and crustaceans. Cases of eating other deep-sea fish have been recorded.
The chimera's nose, with which it digs the seabed, has special adapters that help it find delicacies hidden in silt, algae and darkness. Chimeras have very strong jaws. They have 3 pairs of hard teeth that can compress with tremendous force, grinding the hard shells of mollusks and echinoderms. To compensate for the severe wear of the chimera's dental plates, they continuously grow throughout its life. The Chimera may be a slow and clumsy fish, but it is adept at searching for shellfish and other prey on the seabed.
Chimeras are found in all seas and oceans - in the cold waters of the Northern Hemisphere and in the warm waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Some representatives of the order Chimera live and hunt in shallow seas; others prefer to stalk prey in deep waters. Nothing is known about the life expectancy of these strange animals.
Chimeras are often caught in nets, but in Europe this fish is considered inedible and is thrown away. However, in China and South Africa it is a delicacy; their meat is prepared in the most different ways. In New Zealand, chimaeras are known as "silver trumpets" and are served fried with chips, while in Australia they are eaten as "white fillets". But we won’t argue about tastes.
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 long 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 - from the Upper Jurassic. Cretaceous period. 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), found in the Eastern Atlantic from Iceland and Norway to Mediterranean Sea and off the coast 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 areas of Canada to clean guns, and in Lately is increasingly used as an excellent lubricant for parts in 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 most deep-sea representatives detachments inhabiting the lower part of the shelf and the continental stage. 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 Indian Ocean, from which a germ 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 southern hemisphere- off the coast 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 callorhynchus meat is excellent taste qualities, 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).
The depths of the sea have not been explored well enough, but even among the species known to us there are truly unusual specimens. One of the most striking examples is the chimera fish. At one time she was caught by Canadian fishermen. The poor fellows thought that they had come across a genetic mutant, this creature looked so unusual! However, after this ocean dweller became known, opinions about her appearance were divided. Some people see her as the sweetest creature, while others consider her a monster. Even its name in different countries confirms very disparate impressions: somewhere it is also called a chimera, somewhere - a sea hare or a rabbit, and in other places - a king fish.
The chimera even somewhat resembles a bird, fish and crocodile. She has an elongated body, huge ribbed fins that resemble wings, emerald eyes and an unusual pointed head. What gives her special charm is the presence of a poisonous thorn, which is located on her back.
In fact, the chimera is a relative of the stingray and shark, namely a subspecies of cartilaginous fish. Traits of both of these representatives of the seas can be found in our heroine. In total, there are several types of chimeras in biology, namely six. This creature lives at relatively shallow depths and prefers warm waters Pacific Ocean and Atlantic. Moreover, it can be found at a depth of 40 meters to one and a half thousand kilometers.
Despite its harsh appearance, the “sea hare” is an extremely gentle and sensitive creature. She does not know how to resist enemies, dies instantly in the air and almost does not survive in an aquarium. In addition, she swims quite slowly. It looks very graceful, but it does not allow you to escape from predators. Interesting fact: the chimera fish can “stand” on the bottom, relying on its numerous fins and tail.
Although chimeras are predators. They will not cause harm to humans: their prey is small crustaceans and mollusks. At the same time, people sometimes catch “king fish” for food.
