Ogilby’s ghost shark

10/19/2017

It seems Hydrolagus lemures and H. ogilbyi is now one species, Chimaera ogilbyi. See paper here.

Source: Ken Graham.

Ogilby’s ghost shark (Hydrolagus ogilbyi) is a slender, silvery copper ghost shark with a long, pointed snout. They sometimes have faint brown splotches on their flanks (that darken after death), but have no defined reticulations. Their dorsal fin is pretty tall, with a short dorsal spine in front of it. The Ogilby’s ghost shark also has a wavy lateral line and sport large pectoral fins. Getting up to 85 cm in length, the sexes seem to mature at around 64-70 cm. Males have slender claspers and there are no anal fins present in these animals.

Found on the continental shelf and upper slope off south-eastern Australia (including Tasmania), they are observed at depths of 120-350 metres (m) and are probably found deeper. Off Tasmania, they are caught by commercial trawlers. The adults are difficult to distinguish from the Blackfin ghost shark (Hydrolagus lemures), and the two are often confused.

Little else is known about these chimaeras. The IUCN has assessed these animals as [STATUS].

ever heard of this chimaera?

glossary

Anal fin: The fins behind the anus of the animal.

Claspers: Sexual reproduction organs found on male elasmobranchs and chimaeras.

Commercial fishery: The activity of catching fish and other seafood for profit.

Dorsal fin: Fin located on the back.
Dorsal side: The top of an animal.

IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Lateral line: A system of sense organs found in fish that detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water.

Pectoral fins: Fins located behind the gills on either side.

Reticulation: A pattern or arrangement of interlacing lines resembling a net.