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.

Sharks are distributed in all seas and oceans of the world, with the exception of the Arctic and Antarctic.

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, meaning they hatch in the mother's body and emerge 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 cleaners because they feed 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 characterized by sea ​​life over 400 million years old and 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 because it's 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.

The deep waters of mysterious oceans inhabit mysterious creatures. 400 million years ago, an unusual underwater inhabitant appeared - the chimera fish.

This creature is sometimes called a ghost shark. And this fish received the name chimera for its appearance. The point is that in Greek mythology There was a legend about a monstrous woman whose entire body was formed from parts of various animals. Seeing a fish with a strange appearance, the ancient Greeks decided that its body was not at all like an ordinary fish - but as if it was also made up of animal parts. That is why the chimera fish got its name.

This fish belongs to the cartilaginous fish, represents the order Chimera, family Chimaera.

Among the class of cartilaginous fish, chimeras were the very first to appear on our planet. They are considered distant relatives. Today, scientists have counted about 50 species of these unusual fish on our planet.

Appearance of chimera fish

Body length adult reaches 1.5 meters. 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 tail of these fish is very long, reaching a size equal to half the length of the entire body. 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 somewhat similar to a bird.

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.

Where does the “ghost shark” live?

Representatives of chimera fish can be found in the eastern part Atlantic Ocean– from Norway to Iceland, from the Mediterranean Sea to the southern coast of the African continent. In addition, these creatures live in the Barents Sea.

Behavior in nature

These fish are inhabitants of deep waters. They can be found at depths of over 2.5 kilometers. They lead a rather secretive lifestyle. That is why scientists still cannot study these creatures in detail.

It is only known that these fish hunt in the dark, by touch. Used to attract prey special devices oral apparatus– photophores. These “devices” emit a glow, and the victim itself floats towards the light, right into the mouth of the chimera.

What constitutes the basis of the diet of deep-sea chimera fish?

These cartilaginous fish feed mainly on mollusks, echinoderms, and crustaceans. They can eat other fish that live at the same depths as the chimeras themselves. To eat armored and echinoderm animals that have sharp spines on their bodies, the chimera has sharp teeth that have decent strength and a strong grip.

How do chimeras breed their offspring?

These fish are dioecious creatures. After females mate with males, females lay eggs, which are placed in a special hard capsule.

The reproduction process, just like the lifestyle of these fish, is currently poorly studied by scientists.

Natural enemies of chimeras

Due to their deep-sea lifestyle, chimera fish have virtually no enemies. But there is one caveat: young individuals of these fish are often eaten by their own relatives, only older in age. That's what they are, these underwater predators!

Chimeras(Chimaeriformes), order of fish subclass whole-headed. 13 families, of which only 3 are living: ordinary X. (Chimaeridae), big-nosed (Rhynochimaeridae) and stuporous (Callorhynchidae). Chums of the first two families are distributed mainly in the depths of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans; Stupid X. live only in the seas Southern Hemisphere. In the USSR, in the southwestern part of the Barents Sea, a representative of the common X. family, the European X. (Chimaera monstrosa), is occasionally found. The length of this X. is up to 1.5 m. The body is naked, laterally compressed, gradually becoming thinner, turning into a whip-shaped tail. The snout is blunt, conical; Males have a club-shaped, spiny appendage on their forehead that serves to hold the female during copulation. The pelvic fins are transformed into copulatory organs - pterygopodia. It feeds mainly on bottom invertebrates and fish. Fertilization in X. is internal. In each ovary of the female, about 100 eggs mature, but only 2 eggs are laid at a time, each of which is enclosed in a horny capsule 15–18 cm long. Commercial significance They have almost no X.

Lit.: Animal Life, vol. 4, part 1, M., 1971.

• - The family of proboscis-snouted chimeras is represented by only one genus, Kallorhynchus, which is remarkable in that the front part of its snout is elongated into a kind of trunk strongly compressed from the sides...

  Biological encyclopedia

• - Fishes of this family are distinguished by a highly elongated pointed snout and solid pterygopodia in males...

  Biological encyclopedia

• - growth and alive, developed from hereditarily heterogeneous tissues. X. there are natural and artificial...

  Agricultural dictionary-reference book

• - order, taxonomic category in the taxonomy of animals. In O. related families are united. For example, the family of canines, raccoons, mustelids, cats, etc. form O. carnivores...

  Veterinary encyclopedic dictionary

• - chimeras in which, in a cross-section, half or a smaller sector belongs to one component of the graft, and the rest to another...

  Dictionary of botanical terms

• - marine detachment fish connection whole-headed. Dl. from 60 cm to 2 m. Approx. 30 types. Widely distributed from the shelf to great depths Worldwide approx. 1 species occasionally enters the Barents Sea. In a number of countries X. fishery target...

  Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary

• - taxonomic category in animal taxonomy. Related families are united into a detachment. Close units make up a class. In plant taxonomy, order corresponds to order...

  Beginnings modern Natural Science

• - Taxonomic category of organisms, ranking above family and below class...

  Physical Anthropology. Illustrated explanatory dictionary

• - plants, individual tissues or organs of which are genotypically different in their characteristics from the morphobiont, as well as plants consisting of tissues of two different individuals...

  Dictionary of botanical terms

• - a family of fish of the order Chimaeraformes, subclass of the whole-headed fish. The snout is highly elongated, pointed, the pelvic fins of males form a copulatory organ...
• - I Chimeras is an order of fish of the whole-headed subclass. 13 families, of which only 3 are now living: ordinary X., nosy and stiff-nosed...

  Great Soviet Encyclopedia

• - Chimeras in biology, an organism or part of it, consisting of genetically dissimilar tissues. The term was first used by the German botanist G. Winkler for plant forms obtained as a result of the merging of nightshade and tomato...

  Great Soviet Encyclopedia

• - cruel; one-way sighted...

  Dictionary of epithets

• - chimeras pl. Family sea ​​fish a detachment of whole-headed animals with a cylindrical body, a long tail and large fins...

  Dictionary Efremova

• - Razg. The same as chasing chimeras. BMS 1998, 601...

  Big dictionary Russian sayings

• - 6iol...

  Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

"Chimeras (order of fish)" in books

3. Animal chimeras

author

Biological chimeras

From the book Sphinxes of the 20th century author Petrov Rem Viktorovich

Winged chimeras

author

3. Animal chimeras

From the book Genes and the development of the body author Neyfakh Alexander Alexandrovich

3. Animal chimeras The technique of obtaining chimeric, or, as they are also called, allophenic embryos, is now best mastered in mammals. This is facilitated by their lack of ooplasmic segregation and, consequently, the complete equality of all cells in the early stages.

Biological chimeras

From the book Sphinxes of the 20th century author Petrov Rem Viktorovich

Biological chimeras Ray Owen, a professor in the Department of Biology at the California Institute of Technology, had no luck with terms. In 1945, he was the first in the world to see, think about and consider it necessary to describe animals whose hematopoietic tissue consisted of cells that were immunologically different,

Winged chimeras

From the book In the Wilds of Time author Chizhevsky German Mikhailovich

Winged chimeras But what is it? A lot of black dots were approaching me from the direction of the sun. They quickly grew in size and finally swept over the clearing like black shadows. These were wing-lizards, or pterosaurs - flying lizards, real living dragons from scary fairy tales.

Chimeras

From the author's book

Chimeras There is a gentle and terrible chimera: Not the whole face, not the hands (in the light), But only the mouth and the barrel of a revolver, Hot from the shot in the mouth. There is also this: a thick lattice, And hopeless fingers on it, And an iron rod in the flesh of the chin Cuts deeper and deeper, more and more painfully. There are others

10. Moscow chimeras

From the book Messenger, or the Life of Daniil Andeev: a biographical story in twelve parts author Romanov Boris Nikolaevich

10. Moscow chimeras “Someone from Paris brought the Dobrovs two figurines depicting the chimeras of Notre Dame Cathedral. I don’t remember exactly when this was, at least during Daniel’s youth. Then it was fashionable to bring them... The chimera figurines ended up in the room Sashi Welcome,

Chimeras

From the author's book

Chimeras When I first came to the artists' canteen on Prechistenka, I found everyone in high spirits. I met here almost all the artists I knew, including Petya Konchalovsky, now a renowned master of the Cezanne school, whom I had not seen since my childhood.

More chimeras

From the author's book

More chimeras After this “forced intermission,” I again began looking for a job and received an offer, which turned into another, fourth, chimera for me. You would have to be very delusional to believe, as I did then, that you could find meaningful work in this

Etruscan chimeras

From the book Ancient Civilizations author Ermanovskaya Anna Eduardovna

Etruscan chimeras History shows with many examples that the development of every people, every culture proceeds in accordance with certain laws. Many people tried to explain why this happens, but to no avail. One of the manifestations of this mystery is the history of ancient Etruria -

Chimeras

From the book Tales of the Stone Townspeople [Essays on decorative sculpture of St. Petersburg] author Almazov Boris Alexandrovich

Chimeras Chimera “(???????, Chimaera) - in Greek mythology, a monster that had the head and neck of a lion, the body of a goat (??????? - goat) and the tail of a dragon and spewed fire from its mouth; according to Hesiod, the chimera, corresponding to the three animal breeds that made up its body, had three heads. Daughter

Chimeras

From the book Ethnogenesis and the Earth's biosphere [L/F] author Gumilev Lev Nikolaevich

Chimeras It often happens that ethnic groups “grow” into each other. Within one superethnos this does not cause tragic consequences, but at the superethnic level such metastases create chimeric compositions leading to death. In the diagram, the mechanism of the process is as follows.

Chimeras (order of fish)

From the book Big Soviet Encyclopedia(HI) of the author TSB

Chimeras

From the book His Name is AIDS [The Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse] author Tarantul Vyacheslav Zalmanovich

Chimeras Created genetic engineers Recombinant DNA is sometimes called chimeric after the Chimera, the legendary flame-spitting creature of ancient Greek myth that had the head and body of a lion, the head of a goat on its back, and a snake for a tail. This is the name

The European chimera (lat. Chimaera monstrosa) is a cartilaginous fish of the Chimaeridae family of the Chimaeriformes order. Like sharks and rays, its axial skeleton consists of a cartilaginous chord without segmental constrictions.

The meat of this fish has an unpleasant aftertaste, so its extraction has no industrial significance. It is caught mainly only for its very large liver, which is used in folk medicine for the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and sore throat.

It got its name in honor of the monster of ancient Greek mythology with the body of a goat, the face of a lion and the tail of a snake.

The monster lived in the territory of what is now Turkey, spewed fire from its mouth and, like our dear Serpent-Gorynych, ate delicious captives from the Black Sea region.

The European chimera, despite its sharp, strong jaws, is not interested in humans and can only pose a danger to particularly stupid divers.

Distribution and behavior

This species is found in cool waters in the northeast Atlantic Ocean, in the south of the Adriatic and in the western part Mediterranean seas. In the north, the boundaries of the range are located off the southern coast of Iceland and Norway, and in the south, off the western coast of North Africa.

The European chimera also lives in the Azores and Great Britain. It is most often observed at depths from 100 to 500 m. Some individuals manage to descend to depths of up to 1500 m in search of food.

Fish prefer to be near the bottom in small schools.

Being very voracious predators, they tirelessly swim around their home area in search of prey. Large oar-like pectoral fins help them move quickly through the water.

The diet consists of sea ​​mollusks, echinoderms and crustaceans. The mouth opening located on the lower part of the snout allows chimeras to deftly pick up food directly from the surface of the bottom. To search for prey, electroreceptors are used, which in structure resemble similar receptors in a shark.

Features of morphology

Gill covers cover 4 gill slits. There are two small splashes on the crown of the head. There is no stomach. The digestive tract of the European chimera consists of a tubular rectum.

The jaws are armed with hard dental plates. There are 2 pairs of such plates in the upper jaw, and one in the lower jaw. They are highly durable and can easily crush the shells of sea creatures.

To protect themselves from predators, chimeras use a poisonous spine located on their back.

In summer they like to stay in shallow waters, and as winter approaches they move to deeper waters.

Reproduction

The reproduction of European chimeras has been studied relatively little due to their secretive bottom-dwelling lifestyle. Each female ovary contains up to a hundred eggs, but only the two largest eggs mature and are laid.

Each such egg is placed in a huge bottle-shaped yellow-brown horny capsule approximately 16-17 cm long and 2-3 cm wide.

At first it is attached to the body of the female, and then, with the help of a bundle of long and tenacious threads, it is attached to stones, algae or to the hulls of sunken ships in close proximity to the bottom.

The female lays 2 eggs as they mature. Development of embryos depending on conditions environment can last from 12 to 18 months. The hatchlings, about 11 cm long, are miniature copies of their parents. Immediately after birth, they begin to hunt on their own.

Description

The body length reaches 100-120 cm, and the weight is 2.5 kg. The elongated body is slightly compressed from the sides. The upper and lateral parts of the body are brown, and the ventral part is silvery with gray tint. Light spots in the form of a marble pattern are visible on the sides.

A lateral line stretches along the middle of the body, branching on the head. The tail is very thin and long. The skin is devoid of scales and covered with a layer of mucus. Large pectoral fins are used as the main propulsion force.

The large head ends in a blunt snout. In males, a club-shaped frontal appendage grows on the head between the eyes. The first dorsal fin is short and high, and the second is long and low. A poisonous spine grows in front of the first dorsal fin.

The eyes with turquoise irises are located at the top of the head. There is a small mouth opening at the bottom of the snout.

The lifespan of the European chimera is about 30 years.

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 the harsh appearance, " 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.