The leopard chimaera, Chimaera panthera, is a species of fish in the family Chimaeridae endemic to New Zealand. Its natural habitat is open seas. This species is considered rare and any specimens obtained should be sent to the New Zealand National Fish Collection at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.[2]
| Leopard chimaera | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Holocephali |
| Order: | Chimaeriformes |
| Family: | Chimaeridae |
| Genus: | Chimaera |
| Species: | C. panthera
|
| Binomial name | |
| Chimaera panthera (Didier, 1998)
| |
Morphology and biology
editThis species is distinguished from all other members of the genus by gray coloration with chocolate brown reticulations and spots covering the body and fins, as well as additional external features such as rounded pelvic fins, first dorsal fin with distinct white margin, preopercular and oral lateral line canals sharing a common branch, and morphology of pelvic claspers in males bifid, the distal 1/3 divided, with pale colored fleshy, distal lobes.[2][3]
Distribution and habitat
editIt is known from very few specimens from three localised areas at depths of 327 to 1,020 m.[3] It has been found in deep waters around northern New Zealand.[2]
Conservation status
editThe New Zealand Department of Conservation has classified the leopard chimaera as "Not Threatened" with the qualifier "Data Poor" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[4]
References
edit- ^ Finucci, B.; Duffy, C.A.J. (2020). "Chimaera panthera". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T41793A163155089. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T41793A163155089.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Roberts, Clive; Stewart, A. L.; Struthers, Carl D.; Barker, Jeremy; Kortet, Salme; Freeborn, Michelle (2015). The fishes of New Zealand. Vol. 2. Wellington, New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 44. ISBN 9780994104168. OCLC 908128805.
- ^ a b Didier, Da (31 March 1998). "The Ichthyological Society of Japan 1998". Ichthyological Research. 45 (3): 281–289. doi:10.1007/BF02673926.
- ^ Duffy, Clinton A. J.; Francis, Malcolm; Dunn, M. R.; Finucci, Brit; Ford, Richard; Hitchmough, Rod; Rolfe, Jeremy (2018). Conservation status of New Zealand chondrichthyans (chimaeras, sharks and rays), 2016 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. p. 9. ISBN 9781988514628. OCLC 1042901090.
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