Genus: Harriotta, Longnose Chimaera, Longnose Chimaeras

HARRIOTTA

LONGNOSE CHIMAERAS

Body compressed, elongate, tapering to a filamentous tail; head very large, top profile convex; snout very long, elongate, spear-like, tapering to a fine point, tip curved up; 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, slightly before eyes; teeth are rough 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 a spine at front; 2nd dorsal fin low, long based; anal fin absent; pectoral fins broad; pelvic fins broad, triangular; tail fin elongate, oval, lobes similar or slightly different, with a whip-like rear filament, top lobe of fin without tubercles; lateral line canals well developed, on head and body noticeably open; skin smooth, no scales; males with large, simple, stick-like external sex organs, and with knobs on top of tip of snout.

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