Spotted Sea Rat
| Spotted Sea Rat | ||||||||||||
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Spotted sea rat ( Hydrolagus colliei ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Hydrolagus colliei | ||||||||||||
| ( Lay & Bennett , 1839) |
The spotted sea rat ( Hydrolagus colliei ) is a species from the family of short-nosed sea cats (Chimaeridae).
It occurs in the eastern Pacific on the coast of North America. The distribution area ranges from Cape Spencer at the southern end of Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska) to Bahía de Sebastián Vizcaíno on the west coast of Lower California (Mexico). There is an isolated population in the northern Gulf of California .
features
The spotted sea rat is a maximum of 97 centimeters long. The body ends in a long tail thread. The high first dorsal fin is supported by ten fin rays and protected by a poisonous sting that precedes it. The pectoral fins are triangular, their base is fleshy. The slimy skin of the spotted sea rat is flaky. Their color is silvery to brown, mottled white, often with an iridescent golden, greenish or bluish sheen. The dorsal and caudal fins have dark edges. The eyes are green. The sideline is clearly visible.
Way of life
The spotted sea rat lives close to the ground from the intertidal zone to depths of over 900 meters. It feeds on mussels , crustaceans and fish. The fish multiply in spring and summer. The brown egg capsules are 13 cm long.
use
The meat of the spotted sea rat is edible, but bland and leaves an unpleasant aftertaste. Lubricating oil is made from the liver. In the USA it is shown in chilled tanks in several public show aquariums.
literature
- Eschmeyer, Herald, Hamann: Pacific Coast Fishes , Peterson Field Guides, ISBN 0-395-33188-9
Web links
- Spotted Sea Rat on Fishbase.org (English)
- Hydrolagus colliei inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: Dagit, DD, 2006. Retrieved October 2, 2013.