Ratfish Species Stock Video Footage

Chimaeras are cartilaginous fish in the order Chimaeriformes, known informally as ghost sharks, rat fish, spookfish or rabbit fish the latter three names are not to be confused with rattails, Opisthoproctidae or Siganidae, respectively. At one time a "diverse and abundant" group (based on the fossil record), their closest living relatives are sharks, though their last common ancestor with sharks lived nearly 400 million years ago. Today, they are largely confined to deep water. Learn more about Ratfish