Chimaera Monstrosa

The Ratfish, or Chimaera Monstrosa, is an extraordinary and rare fish found in parts of the North Atlantic and Mediterranean oceans close to the bottom at depths of 300–500 meters. Chimaeras are a group of cartilaginous fish; their skeletons are made up primarily of cartilage, rather than bone tissue. Their bodies are covered in a network of lines (see image below), inspiring their name derived from the Ancient Greek ‘Chimera’; a mythical creature comprised of stitched together body parts from different animals.

The fish has smooth skin, a long pointed tail and rodent-like sharp pointed teeth designed for crushing the shells of their prey giving them the name of “ratfish.” The liver of the ratfish is very large, constituting approximately 60% of it