Genus: Hydrolagus, Ghost Sharks, Shortnose Chimaara

HYDROLAGUS

GHOST SHARKS

Body compressed, elongate, tapering to a filamentous tail; head very large; snout short, round, conical; 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; 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 a long spine at front, that spine either attached along its entire length to fin or with upper 1/2-1/3 free of fin; 2nd dorsal fin low, long based, its border of even height, or indented in center; 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.

A circumglobal genus with about 25 species; 2 in the Greater Caribbean.