Smallspine spookfish

Harriotta haeckeli. Source: CSIRO National Fish Collection.

The smallspine spookfish (Harriotta haeckeli) belongs to the family Rhinochimaeridae—the long-nosed chimaeras—and their snout is covered in sensory nerve endings to help it seek out food. It’s a pale brown chimaera with a darker tummy and a pale dorsal spine that precedes the first dorsal fin. They have a short, conical snout and super small eyes above their mouth. These chimaeras lack anal fins and have broadly rounded pectoral fins.

Smallspine spookfish get up to about 65 cm in length, and male/female maturity lengths are unknown. Known from the North Atlantic Ocean and submarine seamounts of the Indian Ocean, they are observed at about 1400-2600 metres deep. These chimaeras are also seen around Australia in waters of 1480-1950 metres deep.

Like many chimaeras, their diet and reproductive methods are unknown. The IUCN has assessed these chimaeras as Least Concern (LC).

Interested in learning more? So are we!

glossary

• Dorsal fin: Fin located on the back.
• IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.
• Pectoral fins: Fins located behind the gills on either side.​

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