WoRMS banner
 Home
 About
 Search taxa
 Taxon tree
 Literature
 Distribution
 Specimens
 Match taxa
 Editors
 Statistics
 Users
 Webservice
 Photogallery
 Info downloads
 Sponsors
 Glossary
 Log in

WoRMS RSS feed RSS
Add search provider Add provider
Twitter: Latest updates @WRMarineSpecies

WoRMS taxon details

Chimaeridae Bonaparte, 1831 
AphiaID: 105696

Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Chordata (Phylum) > Vertebrata (Subphylum) > Gnathostomata (Superclass) > Pisces (Superclass) > Holocephali (Class) > Chimaeriformes (Order)
Status accepted
Record
status		 Checked by Taxonomic Editor
Rank Family
Parent Chimaeriformes
Sources  basis of record: van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 357-374 (look up in IMIS) [details]

additional source: Eschmeyer, W.: Catalog of fishes; California Academy of Sciences, department Ichtyology., available online at http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/Ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp [details]

Vernacular
Names		 
Language   Name 
English ratfishes  [details]
English shortnose chimaeras  [details]
Direct child
taxa
[show all]		 Genus Chimaera Linnaeus, 1758
Genus Hydrolagus

Genus Chimaeridae accepted as Chimaera Linnaeus, 1758
Genus Phasmichthys accepted as Hydrolagus
Genus Psychichthys accepted as Hydrolagus
Environment marine
Link To ITIS
Note  Distribution: Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans in temperate to tropical waters, mostly below 200 m. Short and rounded snout. First dorsal fin erectile, with a strong spine; second dorsal fin long and low. Diphycercal tail, i.e. vertebral colum runs straight to the tip, dividing the caudal fin symmetrically. Anal fin confluent with caudal fin in Hydrolagus; separate in Chimaera. Feed on small fishes and bottom invertebrates. Males with head clasper. Oviparous; large tadpole-shaped egg capsules are deposited on substrate. Dorsal spine with associated poison gland, the venom of which hurts humans. [details]
Image 
Dollo (1904, pl. 09)
Dollo (1904, pl. 09)
added on 2009-08-12 - author: L. Dollo
scan provided by VLIZ - Wetenschatten
qualitystatus: not checked
LSID urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:105696
Taxonomic
Edit history		 
Date   action   by
2004-12-21 15:54:05Z  created  van der Land, Jacob
  
[Taxonomic tree] [List Species] [Distribution map] [Google] [Google scholar] [Google images]
  Citation: WoRMS (2013). Chimaeridae. In: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2013) FishBase. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=105696 on 2013-05-19
  Creative Commons License The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License