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

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

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Offshore
- Offshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Bottom + water column
- Near Bottom
- Habitat
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- Sand & gravel
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Soft bottom only
- Water column
- Mud
- FishBase Habitat
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- Bathydemersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Data
- Bony fishes
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Egg Type
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- Benthic
- Data
- No pelagic larva
- No pelagic phase
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- Atlantic + Indian Ocean
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent
- Continent only
- Extends N + S of GC
- Extends South of GC
- GC non-endemic
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Temperate (>35N)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 141
- Depth Range Min
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- 400
- Depth Range Max
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- 1849