Hydrolagus affinis (de Brito Capello, 1868)
Smalleyed rabbitfish
Hydrolagus affinis
photo by Mouritsen, R.

Family:  Chimaeridae (Shortnose chimaeras or ratfishes)
Max. size:  130 cm TL (male/unsexed); 125 cm TL (female)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 300 - 3000 m
Distribution:  Northeast Atlantic: Rockall Trough along Ireland, northern Bay of Biscay and off Portugal. Reported from Iceland (Ref. 12462). Southwest Atlantic: Uruguay (Ref. 58839). Northwest Atlantic: Newfoundland in Canada to Cape Cod in USA. Probably has a much wider distribution. Possibly occurring off the Cape in South Africa and off Mozambique (Ref. 11228).
Diagnosis:  Lacks a separate anal fin. Pectoral fin does not overlap pelvic fin. Short caudal filament. Dark brown in color (Ref. 6902).
Biology:  Epibenthic (Ref. 58426). Found on continental slopes and down to deep-sea plains. Reported down up to 3000 m along the mid-Atlantic ridge (Ref. 83979, C.Cotton pers.comm. 03/10). Feeds on small fishes and invertebrates (Ref. 6680). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Eggs are encased in horny shells (Ref. 205). It is commercially used as fish meal and to produce high-quality machine oil from the liver (Ref. 117245).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 02 September 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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