Species: Hydrolagus alberti, Gulf Chimaera

Hydrolagus alberti Bigelow & Schroeder, 1951

Gulf Chimaera

Body compressed, elongate, tapering to a filamentous tail; head very large, 21% body length; snout short, round, conical; eyes large (~40% head length), oval; nostrils large, before mouth, connected to outer corner of mouth by a deep groove covered with a flap; mouth under head; teeth are plates, 2 pairs above, 1 pair below; gill opening before pectoral, covered by fleshy operculum; 2 separate dorsal fins; 1st dorsal fin large, triangular, erect, with sharp tip and a straight rear edge, a long spine at front, that spine largely free of & slightly higher than fin; 2nd dorsal fin low, long based, its border relatively straight, height at about mid-base about same as at front of fin; anal fin absent; pectoral fins broad, triangular; pelvic fins broad, triangular; tail fin elongate, lance-like, both lobes about equal in height, with a whip-like rear filament; lateral line canals well developed, on head and body noticeably open; skin smooth, no scales; males with large, 2-3 pointed sex organs.

Uniform dark brown.

Reaches 100 cm

Depth range 223-1494 m

Benthopelagic over soft bottoms

North Carolina to Surinam