Species: Rhinochimaera atlantica, Atlantic Knifenose Chimaera, Atlantic Spearnose Chimaera, Straightnose Rabbitfish

Rhinochimaera atlantica Holt & Byrne, 1909

Atlantic Knifenose Chimaera, Straightnose Rabbitfish, Atlantic Spearnose Chimaera

Body compressed, elongate, tapering to a filamentous tail; head very large, cylindrical, top profile straight; snout very long (50-66% of body in adults), narrow, conical, base ~triangular & fleshy, tapering to a narrow fleshy point; eyes moderate size (length 5-8% body length in adults); nostrils large, before mouth, connected to outer corner of mouth by a deep groove covered with a flap; mouth under head, well before eyes; teeth are smooth plates, 2 pairs above, 1 pair below; gill opening before pectoral, covered by fleshy operculum; 2 separate dorsal fins; 1st dorsal fin triangular, rear edge concave, spine at front long, extends beyond fin, front keeled, rear edge with serrations along outer 1/3; 2nd dorsal fin close behind 1st dorsal, low, long based, slightly convex edge; anal fin absent; pectoral fins elongate and oval; pelvic fins ovoid; anal fin continuous with lower lobe of tail fin; tail fin elongate, oval, lower lobe much higher and with longer base than very low upper lobe, top lobe very low, fleshy, with 18-33 pairs of sharp denticles (barely visible in female, enlarged in male); tail fin with a whip-like rear filament ( 4-32% of body length); lateral line canals well developed, on head and body noticeably open; skin smooth, no scales; males external sex organ simple, stick-like, tip with a fleshy bulb bearing denticles.

Body light grey-brown to whitish; fins darker; underside of snout and mouth area white.

Reaches 141 cm

Depth range: 400-1849 m.

Found on soft bottoms

Atlantic and southwest Indian Oceans: NE US to French Guiana