Chimaeras are remarkable-looking fish. They are soft-bodied, deep-water fish that look a lot like a shark, with their long tapering bodies and large bulky heads. Some species of chimaera can grow up to 200 cm in length. They are also known as rat sharks, ghost sharks, rabbit fish or spook fish.
They are related to sharks, skates and rays, but around four hundred million years ago they started to diverge from sharks. There have been 50 species of chimaera identified worldwide. Little is known about these fish, as chimaera are generally deep-water fish that is found below 500 metres, although there are a few species that live in shallow water.
Chimaera feed on whatever is on the menu but mostly feed on crustaceans, molluscs, sea urchins, sea worms and octopus. They are able to crush shellfish with three rows of tooth-like plates in their mouths. These fish can live in a variety of habitats, sandy bottoms, mud, rocky areas or on reeks and rocky outcrops, but no matter where they live, they seldom get more than a few meters up from the seafloor.
Chimaera reproduce by laying eggs, laying them on sandy or muddy bottoms. After mating, the female will lay 2 eggs at a time, they will do this several times each season. The eggs of some species take up to six months to hatch.
Some people think they are ugly fish, hence the name ratfish, I personally think they are quite beautiful to observe as they glide above the seafloor. The video is from Scuba BC and really shows the wonder of these ghost sharks. Visit Scuba BC to see all the incredible videos they have created from a variety of Island dive destinations. This video was shot in Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island.