Longnose Chimaera Identification Guide
Learn to recognize this deep-sea ratfish relative by its paddle-shaped snout and whip-like tail.
Read the full Longnose Chimaera encyclopedia entry →
Key identification features
- Long, flattened, spatula- or paddle-shaped snout used to sense buried prey
- Large, iridescent green-gold eyes adapted to darkness
- Smooth, scaleless skin, usually grayish-brown to purplish-gray
- Single stiff spine at the front edge of the tall first dorsal fin
- Long, slender, whip-like tail that tapers to a thread
- Broad, wing-like pectoral fins used for slow, hovering "flight" swimming
Common look-alikes
- Shortnose chimaera (ratfish): has a short, blunt, rounded snout instead of an elongated paddle
- Narrownose chimaera (Rhinochimaeridae relatives): snout is narrower and more pointed rather than flattened and spatulate
- Deep-sea sharks: sharks have separate gill slits and rough denticle skin, while chimaeras have a single gill cover and smooth skin
Where you'll see one
Longnose chimaeras live on continental slopes and seamounts at depths of roughly 200 to 2,600 meters in temperate and tropical oceans worldwide, cruising slowly just above soft sediment where they use their sensitive snout to detect buried invertebrates, occasionally resting motionless on the bottom between feeding bouts.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a longnose chimaera from a shortnose chimaera?
Look at the snout shape: longnose species have an elongated, flattened, paddle-like snout, while shortnose chimaeras have a short, blunt, rounded snout.
How can I recognize a chimaera as different from a shark?
Chimaeras have smooth, scaleless skin and a single gill opening covered by a flap, whereas sharks have rough sandpaper-like skin and several separate gill slits.