Chimaera: The Ghost Shark

deep-sea creature · cartilaginous fish · ocean ghost · rare animal

Spooky nicknames. Chimaeras are called ghost sharks, rat fish, spookfish, and rabbit fish because of their pale color and odd features. These strange names help people remember how unusual they look.

Made of cartilage. Unlike most fish, chimaeras have skeletons made of cartilage instead of bone, just like sharks and rays. This makes them part of the cartilaginous fish family.

Deep-sea dwellers. Chimaeras live in the deep ocean where it is cold and dark, far below where most fish swim. Very few people have ever seen one alive.

Ancient survivors. Chimaeras have been around for hundreds of millions of years, making them living fossils that help scientists understand fish evolution.

Sensitive snouts. Chimaeras have special sensory organs on their snouts that help them detect electric signals from other animals in the dark ocean.