Pacific Spookfish, Rhinochimaera pacifica (Mitsukuri, 1895)
Introduction
The Pacific Spookfish is a very strange-looking, deepsea fish that has has a long, flexible snout.
Identification
The Pacific Spookfish has a long, flexible snout, small eyes and smooth tooth plates. It has two dorsal fins, the first is short-based and tall with a strong spine. The second is long-based and low. The species has a long caudal fin, the upper lobe of which has a row of fleshy tubercles.
It is brown above and grey-brown below. It has a white snout and black teeth.

© NORFANZ Founding Parties
Habitat
It is known from depths of 760m to 1290m.
Distribution
The species is found in scattered localities in the Western Indian and Pacific Oceans.
References
- Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 1994 Sharks and Rays of Australia. CSIRO. Pp. 513.
- Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia.Second edition. CSIRO. Pp. 644