Striped rabbitfish

Striped rabbitfish Temporal range: 150–0 Ma Late Jurassic to present. PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Holocephali
Order:	Chimaeriformes
Family:	Chimaeridae
Genus:	Hydrolagus
Species:	H. matallanasi
Binomial name
Hydrolagus matallanasi Soto & Vooren, 2004

The striped rabbitfish, Hydrolagus matallanasi, is a species of very rare deep-water chimaera that lives in the ocean at depths to 600 m. The species is 150 million years old. It was discovered in 2001 by a team of Brazilian scientists.

These 40-cm-long fishes have an unusual appearance; they have wing-like pectoral fins, a pointed dorsal fin, and a long, whip-like tail. The fish can see in practically total darkness and sense electromagnetic radiation (outside of the visible spectrum) emitted by other marine creatures thanks to exposed nerves on the sides of its body.

The fish is named after Spanish scientist Jesus Matallanas.

References

• Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Hydrolagus matallanasi" in FishBase. February 2006 version.