Rare Knifenose Chimaera Fish Found in Canadian Waters

A mysterious fish caught in the Arctic waters has been identified as belonging to the "long-nosed chimaera" also known as Rhinochimaeridae. Initially, it was believed to be a goblin shark.

"The fish some speculated was a goblin shark is actually the mysterious "long-nosed chimaera" - mysterious because they're rarely caught," said Nigel Hussey, a researcher from the Ocean Tracking Network who identified the fish, reports CBC News.

Also known as the jawed or cartilaginous fish, they have a sharp long nose and a mildly venomous spine. These long-nosed chimaeras are said to be found at great depths, below 2,000 to 3,000 feet.

"Potentially, if we fish deeper, maybe between 1,000 and 2,000 metres, we could find that's there's actually quite a lot of them there. We just don't know," adds Hussey.

Rarely seen, these fish are related to stingrays and sharks. This is the second long-nosed chimaera caught so far. It is believed that they have existed in the oceans for more than 350 million years.

The first fish of this kind was documented from the Hudson Strait, Hussey explained. The scientists and researchers are yet to fish out more details about this rare species.

Hussey is trying to acquire the specimen of the fish as he has identified the fish through photographs and wants to confirm his finding. "We think this species is a knifenose chimaera (Rhinochimaera atlantica). There is another species which they call the longnose so we don't wish for confusion!" Hussey wrote in an email to Huffington Post.

The fish was caught by a fishing boat in the Nunavut waters, Canada.