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Ratfish
Related Category: Vertebrate Zoology
see chimaera.
More on Ratfish
Chimaera - cartilaginous marine fish, related to the sharks. Also called ratfishes, chimaeras are found in temperate oceans throughout the world, mostly in deep water.
RATFISH
Ratfish (or chimaeras) are cartilaginous fish that have compressed bodies and rodent-like teeth (hence their name).
Discussion Ratfishes deposit their eggs, which are fertilized internally, in elongate, ridged, brown cases during the late summer. These distinctive fishes feed on clams, crabs, shrimps, and fishes.
Spotted ratfish, Hydrolagus colliei (Lay & Bennett, 1839)
Philippine chimaera, Hydrolagus deani (Smith & Radcliffe, 1912)
Hydrolagus eidolon (Jordan & Hubbs, 1925)
Blackfin ghostshark, Hydrolagus lemures (Whitley, 1939) ...
In general their diet is comprised of small fishes such as capelin, cod, haddock, hake, herring, menhaden and ratfish. They also eat invertebrates such as krill, crabs, polychaete worms, jellyfish, ctenophores, amphipods, squid and octopus.
 See also: Shark, Chimaera, Squid, Octopus, Elephant
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