Holocephali (chimaeras) >
Chimaeriformes (Chimaeras) >
Chimaeridae (Shortnose chimaeras or ratfishes)
Etymology: Chimaera: Named for the mythological creature composed of parts of multiple animals, referring to their odd mix of characteristics (See ETYFish); notafricana: notos (Gr.), south, referring to its known distribution off the western and southern coasts of southern Africa (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 680 - 1000 m (Ref. 84536). Deep-water
Southeast Atlantic: from off Lüderitz, Namibia, around the Cape of Good Hope and eastwards to Algoa Bay, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 83.7 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 84536); 93.0 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species was assigned to the genus Chimaera based on the presence of an anal fin which is separate from the ventral caudal margin by a notch. It is distinguished from its congeners by a set of characters: uniform blackish brown color with dark bluish streaking and precaudal tail with longitudinal light and dark stripes; dorsal spine when depressed reaches beyond origin of second dorsal fin; large triangular pectoral fins, when depressed reaches just to pelvic-fin origin; caudal fin ventral margin ending very slightly posterior to caudal fin dorsal margin insertion; males with short pelvic claspers that are externally trifid, 12.1-12.3% BDL, not extending past distal tip of pelvic fins, divided for distal one-third of length; distance from anterior base of dorsal fin spine to center of supratemporal canal short, 6.5-14.8% HDL (Ref. 84536).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kemper, J.M., D.A. Ebert, L.J.V. Compagno and D.A. Didier, 2010. Chimaera notafricana sp. nov. (Chondrichthyes: Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae), a new species of chimaera from southern Africa. Zootaxa 2532:55-63. (Ref. 84536)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 3.9 - 8, mean 4.2 °C (based on 5 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00331 (0.00137 - 0.00798), b=3.07 (2.86 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Deepwater species with few large eggs.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High vulnerability (57 of 100).
