January 2025
Chimaera monstrosa Linnaeus, 1758 MBCN 26622
The chimaera (or ratfish in English, due to its long, thin tail) represents a very ancient group of fish. It is related to sharks and rays, and like them, it has a skeleton made of cartilage (except for its jaw).
This animal lives at great depths, where it primarily feeds on bivalves that live buried in the sediment, although it occasionally also eats crustaceans. Thanks to its highly developed lateral line (the fish organ that detects vibrations in the water), located especially in its head, it can locate its prey in the total darkness that exists in its habitat.
Morphologically, two features stand out. On one hand, the large spine in its dorsal fin, which is venomous and helps it defend itself from predators. On the other hand, its lack of a caudal fin (tail) and, in contrast, its highly developed pectoral fins. The reason for this is that in its habitat, the chimaera must travel long distances to find a very small amount of food. Therefore, it has adapted to a more efficient swimming style to conserve energy, swimming by flapping its large pectoral fins like bird wings, “gliding” just a few meters above the seafloor.
- Origin: Balearic Sea (Sòller Coast).
- Age: Current.
