Genus: Rhinochimaera, Knife Nose Chimaeras, Knifenose Chimaera

RHINOCHIMAERA

KNIFE NOSE CHIMAERAS

Body compressed, elongate, tapering to a filamentous tail; head very large, top profile straight; snout elongate, fleshy, spear-like, tapering to a straight point; eyes large, bright green; 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, thin plates, 2 pairs above, 1 pair below; gill opening before pectoral, covered by fleshy operculum; 2 separate dorsal fins; 1st dorsal fin low, short based, relatively small, with a serrated spine at front that reaches above fin; 2nd dorsal fin low, long based, separated from 1st dorsal, edge convex; anal fin absent; pectoral fins elongat, oval; pelvic fins elongate, oval, broad or narrow; tail fin elongate, oval, top lobe long, narrow or sickle shaped, with 19-68 tubercles on top in adults, lower lobe at least 3X length of top lobe, its origin well before that of top lobe; tail fin with a whip-like rear filament; lateral line canals well developed, on head and body noticeably open; skin smooth, no scales; male external sex organs large, simple, stick-like, tip bulbous, with denticles.

Circumglobal; tropical to temperate (mostly); 3 species; 1 in the Greater Caribbean.