Spotted ratfish

Spotted ratfish
Conservation status
	Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Holocephali
Order:	Chimaeriformes
Family:	Chimaeridae
Species:	H. colliei
Binomial name
	Hydrolagus colliei; Lay & Bennett, 1839

The spotted ratfish, Hydrolagus colliei, is a chimaera found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Often seen by divers at night in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, this unique shark relative gets its characteristic name from a pointed rat-like tail. The ratfish lays leathery egg cases on the bottom of sandy/mud areas which are often mistaken by divers as something inanimate. The bane of fishermen, a shallow water sighting of this fish often turns an uneventful muddy dive into an interesting encounter.

This unusual fish has smooth skin and large green eyes with a rabbit-like face. Ranging in depth from 40 - 3000 feet, these fish survive on a diet of shrimp, worms, small crustaceans, clams and small fish, which they grind and eat with a plate-like mouth very similar to that of a skate. They also have a venomous spine located on the front of their dorsal fin. It is also considered to be the missing link between the cartilaginous and bony fish, since the ratfish contains both. Other relatives of this interesting fish include the Australian ghost shark, or elephant fish (Callorhinchus milii).

Physical Description

fish like

Habitat

water

Diet

they have a low carb diet. they cant have candy.

Reproduction

Like some sharks, spotted ratfish are oviparous. Their spawning season peaks during the spring to autumn months. During this time, the female releases up to two fertilized eggs into sand or mud areas of the seabed every 10 to 14 days. The extrusion process can last anywhere from 18 to 30 hours and the actual laying can last another four to six days. The egg sack is leather-like, five inches long, and has a filament connected to it which is used to attach itself to the ocean floor when it is let go by the mother. It is not unheard of to see a female ratfish swimming around her newly laid eggs, in hopes to prevent predators from finding them. Development of the egg can take up to a year, which can be harmful because the eggs are sometimes mistaken as inanimate objects by divers. When the young finally hatch, they are about 5.5 inches in length and continue to grow, reaching 11.8 inches in length their first year. they love to eat people. the best bait, is for you to cut off your finger, and hook it on the hook. they will bite in 10 seconds. then you keep then alive and let them digest your finger and then you cook them and eat them.

Miscellaneous Information

-The root meaning of the ratfishes scientific name, Hydrolagus colliei, comes from the Greek words hydro, meaning water, and lagus, meaning hare.

-The species name gives honors to Alexander Collie, who was a ship surgeon and early naturalist.

-Related animals to the spotted ratfish are sharks, skates, rays, Australian ghost shark (elephant fish), short nose chimaeras and many others.

-A behavior of the ratfish when around divers is that they prefer to maintain a safe distance and are usually not aggressive. However, if they feel their territory has been invaded, the ratfish is able to inflict a mildly toxic wound.

-The ratfish is not typically eaten by humans being as it is not commercially caught for human consumption.

-As they swim gracefully about the ocean, the ratfish can be seen doing barrel rolls and corkscrew turns, as if they were flying.