Chimaera is the type genus of the cartilaginous fish family Chimaeridae.
Species
There are currently 16 recognized species in this genus:
- Chimaera argiloba <small>Last, W. T. White & Pogonoski, 2008</small> (Whitefin chimaera)
- Chimaera bahamaensis <small>Kemper, Ebert, Didier & Compagno, 2010</small> (Bahamas ghost shark)
- Chimaera buccaginella <small>Clerkin, Elbert, & Kemper, 2017</small> (Dark-mouth chimaera)
- Chimaera carophila <small>Kemper, Ebert, Naylor & Didier, 2014</small> (Brown chimaera)
- Chimaera compacta <small>Iglésias, Kemper & Naylor, 2022</small> (Stubby chimaera)
- Chimaera cubana <small>Howell-Rivero, 1936</small> (Cuban chimaera)
- Chimaera didierae <small>Clerkin, Elbert, & Kemper, 2017</small> (Falkor chimaera)
- Chimaera fulva <small>Didier, Last & W. T. White, 2008</small> (Southern chimaera)
- Chimaera jordani <small>S. Tanaka (I), 1905</small> (Jordan's chimaera)
- Chimaera lignaria <small>Didier, 2002</small> (Carpenter's chimaera)
- Chimaera macrospina <small>Didier, Last & W. T. White, 2008</small> (Longspine chimaera)
- Chimaera monstrosa <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small> (Rabbit fish)
- Chimaera notafricana <small>Kemper, Ebert, Compagno & Didier, 2010</small> (Cape chimaera)
- Chimaera obscura <small>Didier, Last & W. T. White, 2008</small> (Shortspine chimaera)
- Chimaera ogilbyi <small>Waite, 1898</small> (Ogilby's ghostshark)
- Chimaera opalescens <small>Luchetti, Iglésias & Sellos, 2011</small> (Opal chimaera)
- Chimaera orientalis <small>Angulo, M. I. Bussing, W. A. Bussing & Murase, 2014</small> (Eastern Pacific black chimaera)
- Chimaera owstoni <small>S. Tanaka (I), 1905</small> (Owston's chimaera)
- Chimaera panthera <small>Didier, 1998</small> (Leopard chimaera)
- Chimaera phantasma <small>D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1900</small> (Silver chimaera)
- Chimaera stellata <small>Teramura, Senou & Hirase, 2024</small> (Stellated chimaera)
- Chimaera supapae <small>Ebert, Krajangdara, Fahmi, & Kemper, 2024</small> (Andaman shortnose chimaera)
- Chimaera willwatchi <small>Clerkin, Elbert, & Kemper, 2017</small> (Seafarer ghostshark)
Fossil species
Several fossil species are attributed to Chimaera, but only two are confidently assignable to it. These two are C. seymourensis from the Late-Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, and C. pliocenica from the Pliocene of Tuscany, Italy. Chimaera zangerli from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Seymour Island was considered by later authors to belong to Elasmodectes instead. C. eophantasma from the Paleocene of England has since been considered a synonym of Elasmodus hunteri. C. gosseleti and C. rupeliensis from the Oligocene of Belgium are synonymous with each other, with C. gosseleti being the senior synonym, and have subsequently been placed in the genus Harriotta. Chimaera javana from the Miocene of Java is lost, and therefore considered a nomen dubium. "Chimaera" anomala from the Miocene of Australia is more similar to Ischyodus, and does not belong to Chimeridae.
References