Ogilby's ghostshark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ogilby's ghostshark |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chimaera
|
| Species: |
ogilbyi
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Chimaera tsengi Fang & Wang, 1932 |
|
The Ogilby's ghostshark (Chimaera ogilbyi) is a fascinating deep-sea fish. It is also sometimes called the whitefish. This unique creature belongs to a group of fish called chimaeras, which are related to sharks and rays.
You can find Ogilby's ghostsharks in the waters around Australia and southern Indonesia. They live close to the ocean floor, on the continental shelf and continental slope. This means they are found in fairly deep water, usually between 120 and 350 meters (about 390 to 1,150 feet) down.
About Ogilby's Ghostshark
Ogilby's ghostsharks can grow to be about 85 centimeters (around 33 inches) long. They reproduce by laying eggs. These eggs are protected inside tough, leathery shells. Young ghostsharks become adults and can reproduce when they are about 64 to 70 centimeters (25 to 28 inches) long.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists Ogilby's ghostshark as a near-threatened species. This is because their numbers have dropped a lot in areas where fishing boats use large nets called trawls.
A Change in Identity
For a long time, scientists thought Ogilby's ghostshark belonged to a different group, or genus, called Hydrolagus. This was based on how the fish looked. However, in 2018, scientists did a special study. They looked at the fish's mitochondrial DNA, which is like a genetic fingerprint.
This study showed that Ogilby's ghostshark actually fits better within the Chimaera genus. The study also found that three other groups of ghostsharks, previously thought to be Hydrolagus, were actually the same species as Ogilby's ghostshark. These included a group from Western Australia called Hydrolagus lemures, and two unnamed groups from southern Indonesia and northern Papua New Guinea.
All these groups look very similar. Their other DNA (called nuclear DNA) also shows they are the same. Because Chimaera ogilbyi was the first name given to any of these fish, it became the official name for all of them.
Where They Live
The ghostsharks that were once called Hydrolagus lemures are found in Australian waters. They live from Queensland all the way to Western Australia. Like other Ogilby's ghostsharks, they prefer the ocean floor. You can find them on the continental shelf and the upper part of the continental slope. They live at depths between 146 and 510 meters (about 479 to 1,673 feet). These ghostsharks can grow up to 88 centimeters (about 35 inches) long.
