Chimera fish: description, photo. Recipe

Like a hare fish. If you are interested in knowing what this sea creature is, then this article is for you. We will discuss whether there are benefits from this fish. We will also find out whether it poses any harm to the human body.

To see this fish in full, you need to consult a reference book. The point is that she is not sold head on. You can only purchase fragments of its fish body, so to speak. They are sold in purified form. Therefore, it is very difficult to understand what kind of fish it is in its original form. There is a lot of deception on fish counters. Since the hare fish is often passed off as a simple hake or pollock. The cod-like little fish are similar to our marine species.

Sharks use their ears to find food. Sharks are able to detect small electrical impulses in the water. This meaning can be very useful because all animals produce a certain type of electrical signal. This allows them to detect movements in the water from hundreds of meters away. Because they capture electrical signals generated by prey, they can detect the movements of other animals. The sixth sense exists thanks to electroreceptive organs called ampullae of Lorenzini, which were discovered not so long ago.

These bubbles are pores filled with gelatin. They are located around the head, with greater concentration near the snout, and are connected to the brain by nerve endings. Basically, bubbles are detectors electric field. Each Living being produces electric field, and sharks can perceive it.

What is hare fish?

This fish is cartilaginous. She doesn't have a bubble. Therefore, in order to stay afloat, she constantly needs to be on the move. Like the shark, this fish will otherwise simply fall to the seabed. Hare is prepared like any other fish. It needs to be salted, then coated with flour or batter, and then fried in a hot frying pan.

Oddly enough, sometimes sharks attack metal objects. This behavior is due to the fact that in the sea, metals emit electrical signals that make mining possible. Sharks can not only detect their prey, but also a diver or possible hunter without even seeing them.

The skin is made up of very small structures called dermal denticles. They are formed by the basal plate of bone. Dermal denticles have important functions in both reducing exhaustion during swimming and noise caused by the movement of the shark itself, as well as protective function. When an animal grows, the skin teeth do not grow in size, but in number and have important when identifying different species.

Some sources indicate that this fish emits an unpleasant odor. But that's not true. Although the smell of hare is not as pleasant as the smell of cod, it does not stink obnoxiously. The taste of the finished fish is simply amazing. Regular fish has bones, but this one has cartilage. Thanks to this structure, fish meat is very easy to separate using cutlery.

Most shark species grow very slowly and take many years to reach sexual maturity. Sharks have a fairly long reproductive cycle, ranging from one to two years, as well as their gestation period. Gestation lasts three to four months for small species and up to two years or more for large sharks. Its birth rate is low compared to other fish, which can produce thousands to millions of eggs. 70% of sharks are born alive: they are viviparous or ovoid. The remaining 30% of egg production, i.e. lay eggs.

The embryo grows inside the egg and leaves only when it is fully developed. Ovoviviparity: Embryos develop inside an egg in the mother's uterus. They do not feed on the placenta, but on a fluid called the yolk, which is contained in the yolk sac. The embryo is nourished by the yolk sac until it is exposed to light from the mother.

• The fetus is nourished through the mother's blood through the umbilical cord.
• Oviparatic: the mother seals the egg in a collagen capsule.
• These capsules are important because you protect them from predators.
• The mother releases the eggs into the sea, entangling them with algae or coral.

Benefits and harms

Distrust of our fish is caused by the fact that it is considered an exotic product, and many people know absolutely nothing about it. In fact, hare fish meat is very nutritious and juicy. This fish was not considered suitable for consumption until the twentieth century. Now it is a rare delicacy in many expensive restaurants around the world.

There are species of sharks that live in tropical waters and others that live in temperate and cold waters. Photo 2: Distribution of sharks in the world. Rays are cartilaginous fish and are closely related to sharks. The main part of the body is very smooth both above and below. The pectoral fins are attached to the back of the skull to form a body disc.

They have a small tail and are not used for swimming. Movement is produced by the limbs pectoral fins, but most lack dorsal and caudal fins. The eyes are located at the top. Foundation objects locate them thanks to the olfactory system developed in the lateral line and electroreceptors.

She's very helpful. It contains quite a lot of protein, which is easily and quickly absorbed by the human body. It also contains a lot of vitamins such as A, E, and D. Moreover, this fish is filled useful minerals. Since fish contains a large number of fatty acids, its meat is considered particularly nutritious. The calorie content of fish is such that for one hundred grams of its meat there are one hundred and sixteen kcal.

To breathe, the rays do not enter the water through the mouth, but through spiracles located behind the eyes. The gill slits are located on the lower surface. . The skin of the rays is formed, like that of sharks, by dermal denticles, which allow them to have better hydrodynamism.

The rays, which protect themselves, have poisonous bites and electrical organs. These animals have two organs called electroplates located on either side of the head. Electrical boards do not recharge immediately and can therefore take anywhere from a few minutes to several days.

The rays' venom is produced by glandular tissue arranged in two parallel grooves located behind the bite, which is usually proportional to the size of the line. There are stripes in almost all the world's seas; they are marine animals par excellence. They usually live near the coast. These animals are born near the coast and as they grow they move into deeper waters, especially in winter.

Is there any harm from eating this fish? You can only suffer if you are personally intolerant to this marine product. Our hare also has a poisonous fin. This is the top fin. Because of this, fish carcasses should be separated with extreme caution. The fish is quite oily. It should not be abused.

additional information

The fish has expressive eyes. Apparently, this is the reason that she was given such a name as a hare. But she is nothing more like an ordinary hare. Since fish lead an unusual lifestyle, they are sometimes called the rats of the seas. They feed on solid foods such as shellfish or crayfish. The fish's jaws are very powerful, so fishermen are very careful with this fish. The hare lays eggs. Scandinavians eat these eggs.

They lie on the ground, and sometimes they bury themselves in the sand; they remain motionless for a long time, thus they maintain the possibility of eventual prey. The stripes move due to the wavy or vertical movements of the pectoral fins.

They are covered with a viscous layer that smoothes out body irregularities, reducing surface tension and friction during movement. Besides, like sharks, they lack swim bladder, but thanks to their pectoral fins they avoid diving. This feature eliminates the need to have a developed liver to improve buoyancy.

The price issue is not certain. The cost of fish fluctuates. In general, hare fish costs a little more than regular cod. But you won’t find our fish in every store. There is a better chance of finding this delicacy in special stores selling exotic marine products. The hare fish is also of the aquarium type. It is decorative and is not consumed as food. This kind of fish is very expensive.

The most primitive fish among them are cartilaginous fish. Fossil evidence suggests that they were once an abundant and highly diverse order. Long ago they were related to sharks, although their evolutionary line split 400 million years ago and they have remained an isolated group ever since.

Characteristics of chimeras

Photo 4: Image of the depth chimera. Like sharks, chimeras do not have bones, but cartilage. Its skin is soft and consists of placoid scales. The lateral lines that cross the body of chimeras are mechano-receptive organs that detect pressure waves. In the frontal part of the face there are some lines formed by points called ampullae of Lorenzini, which detect electrical signals generated by living beings.

It is believed that sellers sell fish much higher than the stated price. They may invent their own names for the hare fish to show it as a rarer and more expensive fish. Some even sell tasteless fish with tough meat, passing it off as a chimera. It is easy to fall for such deception.

The fact that the fish has a rather funny nickname. This suggests that it is not extremely rare. Abroad, it is found in many restaurants. You should not be afraid and believe all the nonsense about hare fish that you can find in various sources. This fish is healthy, tasty, and not very expensive.

Reproduction of chimeras we can say that the males do not have a penis, but other very interesting genital organs. Like sharks, chimaeras also have flower stalks which they use to grasp the female and have grooves to guide sperm. Chimeras have direct development, meaning they hatch in the mother's body and emerge as small fish.

What is the ecological role of sharks in the seas?

For example, white sharks are very important from an ecological point of view because they have direct control over the populations of tuna, seals, turtles, dolphins, sea ​​lions. They also have another important function as cleaners because they feed on dead whales and pilot whales and help process organic matter so that it can be used by other organisms.

If you have a chance to try the meat of this fish, do not deny yourself this pleasure. Be sure to try this one. Its taste is reminiscent of shark meat. Therefore, not everyone will like it as a main dish. So, now you know what hare fish is. You know why it is useful and whether it can be dangerous. You have everything necessary information about our exotic fish. You know that hare fish can be a great addition to your overall diet.

In short, sharks influence their composition, helping to preserve biodiversity. Every year, millions of sharks are killed in addition to accidental catches, especially a truly absurd practice called shark finning: after being captured with their owner, they board a boat and cut off the dorsal and lateral fins. They are then thrown into the sea, still alive, unable to breathe or swim, they flood and die very slowly.

All this is yet to be done due to the demand for shark soup, with no nutritional value and no taste, especially in Asian countries such as China. Species that survive uncontrolled fishing cannot reproduce quickly enough to compensate for the number of sharks killed. This situation threatens the balance marine ecosystems worldwide. Sharks are important predators characterized by sea ​​life over 400 million years old and important to the health of the planet.

Recipe (video)

Fish lovers are divided into two camps: some claim that the chimera is inedible, and others claim that it makes excellent dishes. Be that as it may, the sea rabbit (this is another name for a chimera, along with the sea hare) can now often be seen on store shelves. The fish was called a chimera for its eerie appearance: it has an unattractive head and a very long lower fin. Apparently because it's scary appearance The carcasses of this fish are sold already cleaned. We bought one of these and decided to experiment. Chimera in the oven with vegetables it turned out very tasty!

Diving with sharks, blankets and rays or watching sharks in an aquarium

One way to get close to these animals is by diving or observing in aquariums. Another way to observe sharks is in aquariums, where in addition to sharks, you can also observe other marine animals. In aquariums, behavior can also be modified, but given the inability to submerge, they are a great option.

Animals often camouflage themselves to deceive their predators. Inevitably, when you talk about camouflage, you have colors and textures. Think of the white hare that gets tangled up in the snow, those insects that look like leaves or branches, or that owl that has no one to find but that wakes you up every day at five o'clock in the morning.

Ingredients:

sea ​​rabbit carcass – 1 piece;

carrots – 1 piece;

onion – 1 piece;

salt - to taste;

seasonings for fish - to taste;

lemon – ½ piece;

vegetable oil - a few tablespoons.

Cooking chimera in the oven.

Take the required amount of ingredients.

But there are several other types of camouflage. There is, for example, sound camouflage. Some moths are capable of emitting ultrasounds that are misleading bats, when they try to detect them using the eco-localization system. There is also chemical camouflage, like the one used by the protagonist of our story: fish.

This fish lives in Australian waters, in an ecosystem rich in corals, from which it usually feeds. At the same time he swallows and processes chemical compounds from corals, some of which are responsible for its smell. Thanks to various mechanisms, the fish uses these substances and manages to smell the corals. This gives it a huge adaptive advantage as it allows it to hide from its predators, who cannot tell the difference between fish and coral.

Let's start with: before putting them in the oven together with the fish, the carrots and onions need to be stewed. Therefore, we peel the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater. Place a frying pan on the fire, pour a little on the bottom vegetable oil and add grated carrots.

While the carrots are stewing, peel them white onion(it tastes much more delicate than regular white onion), cut into half rings and also add to the frying pan. Mix the vegetables, add salt, add a few tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Simmer until fully cooked, stirring occasionally.

Some moths are capable of emitting misleading ultrasounds. the bats. Researchers studied this phenomenon using two different methods. First, they placed the 007 fish and corals at the ends of the tank. They dropped a crab in the middle of it, which feeds on the same coral as our secret agent, and they closed their eyes. The poor crab was disoriented and didn't know where to go. The two ends of the pool smelled of a delicious and precious delicacy, poor man. About half the time, the experiment ended with free tea for the crab.

Now let's get to the fish. There is one short fin on the carcass - we cut it off with scissors. The chimera itself looks beautiful: it has speckled silver sides.

Cut the fish into pieces 2-3 centimeters thick.

But the other half turned out to be an elusive character that, unfortunately, was not edible for him. Conclusion: the smell of fish is indistinguishable from the smell of coral, even for a demanding gourmet. On the other hand, they did a similar experiment by placing a fish near a coral and releasing a cod, the deadly archaemia of our fish 007. The cod was unable to find its prey, perfectly camouflaged among the corals. However, if 007 hid in a different coral than the one that usually serves breakfast, the cod ended up being chased.

Chemical camouflage has been known for some time. However, the study authors emphasize that this is the first time diet-based chemical camouflage has been observed in a vertebrate. This has been seen as similar in caterpillars, which survive ant attacks using a similar strategy.

Pour salt and fish seasonings into a small bowl. Mix them and rub each piece of fish with this mixture. While the vegetables are stewing, the fish will be marinated in spices. To enhance the effect, you can even put it in the refrigerator during this time.

If the carrots are already ready, you can take a baking dish and transfer the vegetables into it. Additionally, there is no need to grease the pan with oil, because the fat will transfer along with the carrots and onions.

Place sea rabbit pieces on top of the vegetables. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto the fish.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, place the dish with the fish in it and bake for 20 minutes.
Chimera fish in the oven is ready! It should be served hot. An excellent side dish would be mashed potatoes or boiled rice. In a similar way, you can bake a chimera without carrots - only with onions.

.. or Adventures of a Housewife.

Friends, recently at the market I saw beautiful fish: silvery carcass with spots without head and tail, only 1 fin across the entire back, clean stomach, white meat and no scales! Not a fish, but a housewife's dream!

The only thing that confused me was the name - Chimera.

What is a chimera

In a word Chimera V ancient Greece called fictional monsters, combining parts of various animals - a lion, a goat and a snake. The ugly appearance was combined with an evil disposition.

But the fish lying in front of me was so good that, despite vague forebodings, I bought it.

How I prepared the chimera

At home, I quickly cleaned the chimera, cut it into pieces, salted and peppered it, rolled it in flour and put it in a frying pan in hot oil.

The fish was fried, but there was no golden crust or a thick fishy smell. Another time you fry fish, the smell is enough to take away the saints. And then time goes by and nothing happens!

I tried a thin piece - the fish is no longer raw, but it does not come off the spine, it crumbles.

The pug Filimon, a big fish lover, was hanging around nearby. We ate a small piece of the chimera with him. My mouth felt bitter.

Our pug loves fish)))

What kind of fish is a chimera?

Feeling strange taste, I thought: “Maybe I’m cooking chimera fish incorrectly?” I decided to look on the Internet.

The very first headline blew me away. I quote:

Is chimera fish edible?

And then it was written: “Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Chimera fish was considered inedible.” True, the Scandinavians used its liver to prepare wound-healing medicines (well, this still doesn’t say anything, their knights and fly agarics ate them), and the cunning Japanese learned to cook the chimera in some special way (that is, it became clear that according to traditional fish You can’t cook a chimera with recipes).

What does a chimera fish look like?

A photo of the fish was attached to the description. Indeed, a monster: a huge head, large, white eyes, green pupil. The pectoral fins are so large that they resemble wings, and half of the one and a half meter body is a thin tail. It's not for nothing that a chimera is on sale - without a head and tail...

That's what she is, a chimera. Photo: blogtiburones.com

No, the fish cannot be called ugly. She's just scary. Maybe that’s why there are legends about how, having gathered in a flock, predatory chimeras attack people, gnawing off pieces of them.

Arctic chimera, drawing: twinkleinglight.tumblr.com

Do chimeras really attack humans?

I think that these are fairy tales and not true, after all, the chimera is a deep-sea fish. But I don’t recommend dating her, even fried. The bitterness in my mouth remained for several hours. What if the piece of fish eaten was larger?

Imagine the epitaph... “Natasha Rybka, who died from the Chimera fish”)))))))

Afterword

I didn’t take a photo of either the fresh or the fried chimera, I was so stunned by the whole situation at the time. And a week later I went to the market again, to the fish rows. To take a picture of this strange, conditionally edible (or, still not?) creature for history.

The chimera was in place. But instead of her creepy name On the price tag it was written: sea ​​hare. I thought it was disguised. Well, what can you expect from a chimera?

I asked the seller why you sell inedible fish. She assured that that batch of chimera (aka sea hare) was frozen incorrectly, which is why it tasted bitter. Well, you know, I didn’t bother checking to see if this was true, health is more valuable.

Also, for impressionable dog breeders, I hasten to assure that not a single pug was harmed during the preparation of the chimera.)))

Well, can this long tail of a chimera be called a fin?! This is just some kind of whip. Photo: zoosite.com.ua

Comments from the site administration

We also became interested in the question of what kind of fish this is, a chimera.

First, we looked at the search to see what they were looking for with the word Chimera. The results were impressive. This is not only Max Fry's Nests of Chimeras... a chimera's claw (we didn't find claws on the fish), and a house with chimeras (what a horror), and a harpy, a gargoyle (also scary), at the behest of a pike (some optimists were looking for this), Woland , tantalum torment and even Homeric laughter.

We ended up on an Italian forum, where one of the participants told with surprise how he found this wonderful fish on the counter, asking his friends how it could even be that this horror ended up on the market.

We quote:

I agree that it is a shame to see a chimera (sea rabbit) among the game fish...Probably, she was caught by accident, it was a pity to abandon her, so they tried to sell the chimera. But I don't know anyone who has the courage to eat a chimera!

Thank you very much for your comments about the sea rabbit (chimera). Now it needs to be put in the refrigerator, tomorrow I will bring it to the marine biology department where we meet, and I think it will be preserved in formaldehyde.
Hi all.

one lady asked:

One thing is not clear to me...

You are indignant because you are disgusted to see a chimera on sale,because: 1) it is a rare species that cannot be caught or 2) it tastes lame?

The chimera shark is one of the prehistoric representatives of marine fauna. This individual has been caught more than once, so it does not seem mythical to scientists. What is surprising, however, is that such sharks lived in the seas four hundred million years ago.

These creatures are sometimes called ghosts. And the name is chimera this fish received for its appearance. The fact is that in Greek mythology there was a legend about a monster whose entire body was formed from parts of different animals. The mythological monster, the product of Typhon and Echidna, had the head and neck of a lion, its body was a goat in the middle, and a snake in the back. From the middle of the Chimera's spine grew a goat's head, and its tail ended with the head of a dragon. This is exactly how the Chimera is depicted in the famous bronze statue from Arezzo, which dates back to the 5th century. All three mouths of the monster spewed fire, destroying all living things around, and no one could approach it. The Chimera terrified people for a long time until it was killed by the handsome Bellerophon (other myths attribute this feat to Perseus), who took to the air on the winged horse Pegasus. Shooting from above with a bow, the young man showered the Chimera with a rain of lead-tipped arrows. As if in furnaces, the metal instantly melted from the fire and flooded all three of the Chimera’s mouths spewing flames, hastening the end of the demonic creature.

It was very difficult to imagine a chimera - it is not so easy to create a single beast from a lion, a goat and a snake. Over time, the awkward image of a living creature disappeared, but the word remained, denoting something unimaginable, impossible. A false idea, an unrealizable fantasy - this is the definition of a chimera given by modern dictionaries. Seeing a fish with a strange appearance, the ancient Greeks decided that its body did not at all resemble an ordinary fish, but that it was also made up of parts of different animals. This is where the name of this fish comes from.

Sea chimeras - deep sea fish, the oldest inhabitants among modern cartilaginous fish - distant relatives modern sharks. The ancient fish with a curl of sharp teeth, like a hacksaw blade, has long been considered a representative of the superorder of sharks, but a detailed study carried it out to a different group, but close to sharks. This group belongs to a genus called Helicoprion.

The genus Helicoprion was first described in 1899 from admittedly incomplete specimens, most of which were little more than a spiral cluster of teeth. Although some fossils also preserved hints of cartilaginous tissue, there was no braincase or postcranial skeleton. Therefore, scientists could not say anything about what this creature looked like. Some suggested, however, that it had a nose similar to the trunk of an elephant, in which, in fact, this mysterious toothy curl was located. Others placed the strange appendage either on the tail, or on the dorsal fins, or imagined it hanging from the lower jaw.

NEWEST X-RAY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY ESPECIALLY GOOD surviving specimen found in 1950 in American state Idaho still points to the lower jaw. The specimen, which lived 270 million years ago, contains not only 117 teeth, but also the cartilage to which they were attached. Judging by the size and shape of the latter, the creature was approximately 4 m in length, and some Helicoprions grew to almost 8 m. The arrangement of the tissues of the lower jaw of the animal, partially hidden by the rock and therefore inaccessible to the naked eye, definitely shows that the Helicoprion is not a shark. It is proposed to classify this genus as a chimera, another order of cartilaginous fish.

All over the world this fish is called the most different names, which reflect its special appearance, including chimera, rabbit fish, leopard fish and elephant fish. Chimeras are sometimes called "ghost sharks." These fish live at very great depths, sometimes exceeding 2.5 km. About 400 million years ago, the common ancestors of modern sharks and chimeras split into two orders. Some preferred habitats near the surface. Others, on the contrary, chose great depths as their habitat and evolved over time to modern chimeras. Currently, science knows 50 species of these fish. Most do not rise to depths greater than 200 m, and only rabbitfish and ratfish have been seen at shallow depths.

Chimeras grow up to 1.5 m. It is noteworthy that the tail of these fish is very long, it reaches a size equal to half the length of the entire body. This type of deep sea fish has a long nose and a terrible mouth. A distinctive feature of the appearance of these representatives of the chimaera family can be called large wing-shaped lateral fins. By straightening them, the chimera becomes like a bird. The skin of these fish is smooth, with multi-colored tints. In males, between the eyes on the head there is a bone growth (spike) that has a curved shape. The colors of these fish are very diverse, but the predominant colors are light gray and black with frequent and large white patches throughout the surface. In the front part of the body, near the dorsal fin, chimeras have poisonous outgrowths; they are very strong and sharp. The animal uses them for its own protection.

They lead a rather secretive lifestyle. That is why scientists still cannot study these creatures in detail. The habitat of chimeras makes them very difficult to study. Very little is known about their habits, reproduction, and hunting methods. The accumulated knowledge suggests that chimeras hunt in much the same way as other deep-sea fish. In complete darkness, what is important for successful hunting is not speed, but the ability to find prey literally by touch. Most deep sea creatures use photophores. These "devices" emit a glow that attracts prey directly into the chimera's mouth.

TO SEARCH FOR PREY, THESE CREATURES USE A CHARACTERISTIC OPEN, very sensitive lateral line, which is one of their distinctive features. It must be said that at depths of over 600 m there are quite a few enemies. large fish not so many, with the exception of particularly voracious large female Indiancanths. The greatest danger to young chimeras is their relatives; cannibalism is not a rare phenomenon for chimeras, although most of their diet consists of mollusks, echinoderms and crustaceans. Cases of eating other deep-sea fish have been recorded.

The chimera's nose, with which it digs the seabed, has special adapters that help it find delicacies hidden in silt, algae and darkness. Chimeras have very strong jaws. They have 3 pairs of hard teeth that can compress with tremendous force, grinding the hard shells of mollusks and echinoderms. To compensate for the severe wear of the chimera's dental plates, they continuously grow throughout its life. The Chimera may be a slow and clumsy fish, but it is adept at searching for shellfish and other prey on the seabed.

Chimeras are found in all seas and oceans - in the cold waters of the Northern Hemisphere and in the warm waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Some representatives of the order Chimera live and hunt in shallow seas; others prefer to stalk prey in deep waters. Nothing is known about the life expectancy of these strange animals.

Chimeras are often caught in nets, but in Europe this fish is considered inedible and is thrown away. However, in China and South Africa it is a delicacy; their meat is prepared in the most different ways. In New Zealand, chimaeras are known as "silver trumpets" and are served fried with chips, while in Australia they are eaten as "white fillets". But we won’t argue about tastes.

Range and habitat

The European chimera lives in the North Atlantic and adjacent seas of the Arctic Ocean. Distributed off the coast of Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Great Britain, France, Italy, Portugal, Morocco, the Azores and Madeira, in the Mediterranean Sea. Evidence of the presence of this species in South African waters requires confirmation. This marine bathydemersal oceanodromous fish is found at depths ranging from 40 to 1400 m. In the north it most often lives at depths of 200-500 m, and in the south - 350-700 m. In winter it approaches the shores; at this time, the European chimera is found in the Norwegian fiords at a depth of 90-180 m.

Appearance

The head is thick with a rounded snout. The eyes are large. The mouth is lower, small, transverse. There are 4 large beak-shaped dental plates on the upper jaw and 2 on the lower jaw. The body is elongated, becoming very thin at the rear. The narrow, whip-like tail ends in a long thread. The pectoral fins are very large. The first dorsal fin is high and short, with a strong long spine at the anterior edge; the second dorsal fin in the form of a low border that reaches the beginning of the caudal fin. The anal fin is small. There is a system of sensory channels on the head. The skin is bare and soft, occasionally covered with rudimentary spines. The color of the dorsal surface is dark brown with a reddish tint, the sides are covered with spots, the ventral side is light. The caudal, anal and posterior part of the second dorsal fin have a blackish-brown edge. The length of adult chimeras reaches 1.5 m, and the maximum recorded weight is 2.5 kg.

Males have a thin bony growth bent in front between the eyes. The skin is smooth and has a variety of colors.

Biology

Lays eggs enclosed in a horny capsule. Reproduction all year round. Up to 200 eggs develop in the ovaries of females. The female lays two eggs several times without repeated fertilization. Before laying, the female carries the eggs attached to the bronchial openings of the oviducts. Then she lays them on the bottom at fairly large depths, sometimes up to 400 m. The diameter of the yolk is 26 mm. The capsule has a fin-like edge up to 4 mm high. The lower end of the capsule is cylindrical in shape, the upper one has the appearance of a narrow thread-like appendage, which serves to attach the egg. The capsule length is 163-77 mm, width is about 25 mm. The length of the appendage is 30-40 mm. The capsule is shiny brown to olive green. The eggs take about a year to develop. Newborns hatch fully formed. Juveniles are rarely seen. There are known cases of capture off the Faroe Islands at a depth of 1000 m and off Ireland at a depth of 600 m. Juveniles are 11 cm long. Males are generally smaller than females.

The European chimera is a benthophage. Its diet consists mainly of invertebrates: crustaceans, mollusks, worms and echinoderms. Sometimes there is fish in the stomach.

Human interaction

At the beginning of the 20th century commercial value fish did not have: the meat was considered inedible, but sometimes the fat extracted from their liver was used in medicine or as lubricant. Eggs were considered a delicacy. In Norway, healing agents were attributed to the chimera's liver. The meat is tough, but in some countries it is eaten.

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Notes

1. Reshetnikov Yu. S., Kotlyar A. N., Rass T. S., Shatunovsky M. I. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Fish. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., 1989. - P. 49. - 12,500 copies. - ISBN 5-200-00237-0.
2. FishBase (English)
3. Game fish Russia. In two volumes / Ed. O. F. Gritsenko, A. N. Kotlyar and B. N. Kotenev. - M.: publishing house VNIRO, 2006. - T. 1. - P. 58. - 624 p. - ISBN 5-85382-229-2.
4. // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
5. (English) (PDF). ICES (2005). Retrieved January 24, 2013. .
6. (English) (PDF). ICES (2006). Retrieved January 24, 2013. .
7. : information on the IUCN Red List website (English)

Links

• : information on the IUCN Red List website (English)
• European chimeraWorld Register of Marine Species) (English) December 29, 2009
• in the FishBase database (English)
• on "The Marine Fauna Gallery of Norway" (English)
• in the encyclopedia "Animal Life"
• Species in the World Register of Marine Species ( World Register of Marine Species) (English)

An excerpt characterizing the European chimera

Kutuzov, like all old people, slept little at night. He often dozed off unexpectedly during the day; but at night, without undressing, lying on his bed, he mostly did not sleep and thought.
So he lay now on his bed, leaning his heavy, large, disfigured head on his plump arm, and thought, with one eye open, peering into the darkness.
Since Bennigsen, who corresponded with the sovereign and had the most power in the headquarters, avoided him, Kutuzov was calmer in the sense that he and his troops would not be forced to again participate in useless offensive actions. The lesson of the Tarutino battle and its eve, painfully memorable for Kutuzov, should also have had an effect, he thought.
“They must understand that we can only lose by acting offensively. Patience and time, these are my heroes!” – thought Kutuzov. He knew not to pick an apple while it was green. It will fall on its own when it is ripe, but if you pick it green, you will spoil the apple and the tree, and you will set your teeth on edge. He, as an experienced hunter, knew that the animal was wounded, wounded as only the entire Russian force could wound, but whether it was fatal or not was a question that had not yet been clarified. Now, according to the dispatches of Lauriston and Berthelemy and according to the reports of the partisans, Kutuzov almost knew that he was mortally wounded. But more evidence was needed, we had to wait.
“They want to run and see how they killed him. Wait and see. All maneuvers, all attacks! - he thought. - For what? Everyone will excel. There's definitely something fun about fighting. They are like children from whom you can’t get any sense, as was the case, because everyone wants to prove how they can fight. That's not the point now.
And what skillful maneuvers all these offer me! It seems to them that when they invented two or three accidents (he remembered the general plan from St. Petersburg), they invented them all. And they all have no number!”
The unresolved question of whether the wound inflicted in Borodino was fatal or not fatal had been hanging over Kutuzov’s head for a whole month. On the one hand, the French occupied Moscow. On the other hand, undoubtedly with his whole being Kutuzov felt that that terrible blow, in which he, together with all the Russian people, strained all his strength, should have been fatal. But in any case, proof was needed, and he had been waiting for it for a month, and the more time passed, the more impatient he became. Lying on his bed on his sleepless nights, he did the very thing that these young generals did, the very thing for which he reproached them. He came up with all possible contingencies in which this certain, already accomplished death of Napoleon would be expressed. He came up with these contingencies in the same way as young people, but with the only difference that he did not base anything on these assumptions and that he saw not two or three, but thousands. The further he thought, the more of them appeared. He came up with all kinds of movements of the Napoleonic army, all or parts of it - towards St. Petersburg, against it, bypassing it, he came up with (which he was most afraid of) and the chance that Napoleon would fight against him with his own weapons, that he would remain in Moscow , waiting for him. Kutuzov even dreamed up the movement of Napoleon’s army back to Medyn and Yukhnov, but one thing he could not foresee was what happened, that crazy, convulsive rushing of Napoleon’s army during the first eleven days of his speech from Moscow - the throwing that made it possible something that Kutuzov still did not dare to think about even then: the complete extermination of the French. Dorokhov's reports about Broussier's division, news from the partisans about the disasters of Napoleon's army, rumors about preparations for departure from Moscow - everything confirmed the assumption that the French army was defeated and was about to flee; but these were only assumptions that seemed important to young people, but not to Kutuzov. With his sixty years of experience, he knew what weight should be attributed to rumors, he knew how capable people who want something are of grouping all the news so that they seem to confirm what they want, and he knew how in this case they willingly miss everything that contradicts. And the more Kutuzov wanted this, the less he allowed himself to believe it. This question occupied all his mental strength. Everything else was for him just the usual fulfillment of life. Such habitual fulfillment and subordination of life were his conversations with staff, letters to m me Stael, which he wrote from Tarutin, reading novels, distributing awards, correspondence with St. Petersburg, etc. n. But the death of the French, foreseen by him alone, was his spiritual, only desire.

The most mysterious inhabitants of the ocean depths are chimera-like fish, or chimeras. Very little is known about their lifestyle, especially their reproductive biology.

Oceanologists literally collected information about these creatures bit by bit so that today we could get to know some of them.

Science knows very little about chimeras.

Deep-sea chimeras of the seas and oceans

The modern group, belonging to the cartilaginous order, includes approximately 50 species of chimera-like fish. Most of them live at a depth of 500 meters or more, where it is extremely difficult and sometimes simply impossible to study their behavior. Today it is known that:

• the length of these creatures can reach 1.5 meters;
• they feed on invertebrates and smaller fish;
• fish are dioecious;
• fish lay eggs.
• Chimera fish live exclusively in sea water.

Appearance and structure

The streamlined body of chimeras gradually narrows and ends in a long, writhing, cord-like tail half the length of the body. It is called whip-shaped. Adults grow from 0.6 to 1.5 meters. It is possible that there are fish and bigger size.

The pectoral fins are large and wing-shaped. They are the ones who give chimeras their characteristic appearance and create the illusion of flight. The abdominal ones are much smaller in size and are located near the anus.

Fish swim slowly, the movements of the pectoral fins are wave-like.

The lateral line is open and is a groove located on the sides of the head and body. With its help, chimeras perceive water vibrations and vibrations created by the movement of other inhabitants of the depths. The line is used for orientation external environment and during the hunt. In some species it consists of a part of special receptors that detect electrical vibrations.

The body is “naked”, covered with mucus. The skeleton consists of cartilage tissue. The skull is connected to the jaws by one joint and is called hyostylous. On the sides there are two gill openings covered with skin folds. Fish breathe with their mouths closed, drawing in water through their nostrils. It enters the gills, which communicate with the oral cavity.

There are also two dorsal fins. The one closest to the head is placed vertically, he has short base and a large thorn - for some it is poisonous. If necessary, it fits into a special “groove” on the back. The other is shorter with a long base and does not fold.

The mouth is downward positioned and full of creepy chewing plates. Males have pterygopodia - copulatory organs. With their help, seminal fluid is introduced into the female's cloaca.

Once on land, chimera-like fish die very quickly. They take root extremely poorly in aquarium conditions.

Fertilization and reproduction

In dioecious chimeras insemination occurs during mating. All species of the order Chimaeras are characterized by oviparity - laying eggs. The embryo develops and is released from the membranes outside the mother's body.

The female’s ovaries can contain up to 100 eggs at a time, but they mature and lay two at a time.

Each egg of chimeras, like some other species of fish, is enclosed in a capsule - a cartilaginous shell. It is equipped with a thread-like appendage. After leaving the female's body, the egg falls to the bottom or gets caught on plants.

The development of the embryo lasts about 9-12 months. Interestingly, during development, special filaments appear at the head - external gills. It is likely that with their help the embryo absorbs the yolk of the egg and receives oxygen. After birth, the threads disappear. The hatched fry are similar to their parents in everything.

Chimeras reproduce by laying eggs.

Cartilage shells are very light and consist of collagen threads. Empty capsules quite often end up in fishermen's nets and are washed ashore during storms and high tides. People call such finds mermaid or devil purses.

Very little is known about mating games and the mating process, since studying this side of the life of chimeras at great depths is very problematic.

Estimated diet

Traditionally, it was believed that chimeras feed only on solid food - mollusks and crustaceans. This opinion was formed due to the structure of the jaw apparatus, which is capable of crushing a hunted object with a force of 100 Newton.

Direct studies, although few in number, suggest that the diet of chimeras includes:

• polychaetes - polychaete worms;
• crabs;
• crayfish;
• lobsters;
• shrimps;
• small bottom fish.

There are known cases of cannibalism when chimeras ate not only eggs, but also adult representatives of their small species.

Many representatives of chimaeras have special devices for attracting prey - photophores. They are located near the mouth and glow in the dark. The food itself floats directly into the predator’s mouth.

There are practically no natural enemies due to the deep-sea lifestyle. Close relatives are sharks and rays.

The most famous representatives of chimaeras

The Chimera genus consists of 6 species. Among them are the most studied. These include the European and Cuban chimeras, the family Collarhynchidae and Rhinochimeraceae.

Information about them is in many encyclopedias, but they are scanty and full of assumptions.

European (Chimaera monstrosa) and Cuban (Ch. cubana)

Range: Eastern Atlantic. Reaches a length of 1.5 meters. The back is red-brown, the sides are silver with yellow-brown spots. Eyes are green. The fins have a black-brown border along the edges.

It is found at a depth of 200−500 meters, off the coast of Morocco up to 700 meters. Single individuals are caught in the network, but in the spring there are richer catches off the coast of Norway - up to several dozen pieces. Other names are chimera hare, sea rabbit or rat.

Eggs are laid all year round, with the exception of the autumn months.

The European chimera is not eaten. Fat is used to lubricate wounds.

The habitat of the Cuban Chimera is the coast of Cuba, the waters of Japan, the Yellow Sea and the Philippine Islands. Outwardly similar to the European one, that’s why it was previously mistaken for it. The depth of residence is 400−500 meters.

Genus Hydrolagus

There are 15-16 species. Habitat: North Atlantic, Japan, Australian waters, South Africa, New Zealand, Philippines, Hawaii and North America.

The American hydrolag has been studied better than others. He often found along the American coast and lives at a depth of only 40−60 meters.

It is smaller than the European chimera and sometimes completely fills fishermen's nets. It reproduces all year round, most intensively in August-September.

Observations in the aquarium showed that the female marks capsules for approximately 30 hours. They do not separate immediately and hang on elastic threads for several days, dragging behind them. Then they fall off and sink to the bottom.

Fish is not eaten, and the fat is used for technical lubrication of mechanical parts.

Nosed chimeras

They belong to the Rhinochimeraceae family. The snout is elongated and pointed. Pterygopodia in males are entire. These are the deepest representatives - presumably they live at a depth of up to 2.5 km. Known only from rare finds on the shore. Biology has not been studied.

Family Callorhynchaceae

The proboscis family is represented by only one genus - Collarynchi. The front part of the muzzle is extended into a trunk, flattened on the sides. At the end there is a leaf-shaped blade, bent back. Presumably, this organ serves as a kind of locator. Lives in the waters of the Southern Hemisphere.

The color is greenish-yellow, with three black stripes on the sides. Tail without a thin ending.

Off the coast of New Zealand it is mined on an industrial scale and used as food. The taste is excellent, but as soon as the meat sits for a little while without processing, the smell of ammonia appears.

Chimeras are still little studied, so major discoveries are yet to come.