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); willwatchi: In honor of the “hard-working” fishers onboard the Sealord Corporation fishing vessel Will Watch, from which holotype was collected. (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 89 - 1365 m (Ref. 116312). Tropical; 34°S - 40°S, 41°E - 59°E (Ref. 116312)
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Southwestern Indian Ocean: Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, northern portion of the Madagascar Ridge, and Walters Shoal.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 83.4 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 116312); 97.1 cm TL (female)
This species is collected by midwater and bottom trawls. Maximum length for females is 64.5 cm BDL, 97.1+ cm TL, and for males 51.9 cm BDL, 83.4+ cm TL. The smallest free swimming individual is 11.8 cm BDL, 25.8 cm TL. Females are mature at 51.9 cm BDL, 76.7 cm TL, while males mature at 36.9 cm BDL, 63.8 cm TL (Ref. 116312).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Clerkin, P.J., Ebert, D.A. and J.M. Kemper, 2017. New species of Chimaera (Chondrichthyes: Holocephali: Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae) from the Southwestern Indian Ocean. Zootaxa 4312(1):1-37. (Ref. 116312)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
More information
Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration
Common namesSynonymsMetabolismPredatorsEcotoxicologyReproductionMaturitySpawningSpawning aggregationFecundityEggsEgg development
Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance
BRUVS
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsElectrophoresesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingNutrientsMass conversion
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00282 (0.00118 - 0.00673), b=3.10 (2.89 - 3.31), 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 (59 of 100).