Chimaera monstrosa Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the function of the electric organs in Torpedo fish?

They aid in buoyancy.

They serve as batteries for producing electric shocks. (correct)

They assist in vision underwater.

They help in locomotion.

Which characteristic is true regarding the reproduction of Torpedo fish?

They are viviparous and give birth to live young. (correct)

They are ovoviviparous and produce eggs that hatch internally.

They reproduce by fission.

They lay eggs in external nests.

In which habitats can the Torpedo fish be commonly found?

Coastal marshes and mangroves.

Freshwater rivers and lakes.

Shallow coral reefs.

Deep-sea environments at depths of 350 to 2200 metres. (correct)

What sensory adaptation do Chondrichthyes, including Torpedo fish, possess for hunting?

Highly developed olfactory senses for detecting smells at great distances. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following evolutionary characteristics applies to Torpedo fish?

They possess a short tail and two dorsal fins. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of Scoliodon’s body shape?

Laterally compressed and spindle-shaped Signup and view all the answers

Which feature is NOT present in the anatomy of Scoliodon?

Three dorsal fins Signup and view all the answers

What type of habitat can Scoliodon be found in?

Estuaries and rivers, as well as marine environments Signup and view all the answers

Which adaptation helps Scoliodon detect prey in murky waters?

Lateral line system Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the reproductive method of male Scoliodon?

They possess claspers for internal fertilization Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical color pattern observed in Scoliodon?

Dark grey on dorsal and lateral surfaces, pale ventrally Signup and view all the answers

Which fin is NOT paired in Scoliodon?

Anal fin Signup and view all the answers

What type of tail does Scoliodon possess?

Heterocercal tail Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the lateral line system in Chimaera?

To detect vibrations and movement in the water Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following features is characteristic of the male Chimaera?

Front claspers equipped with denticles Signup and view all the answers

Where is the natural habitat of the Chimaera primarily located?

Off the coasts of Europe and North America Signup and view all the answers

What type of fin arrangement is observed in the caudal fin of Chimaera?

Symmetrical lobes with equal sizes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following adaptations is linked to the evolutionary characteristics of Chimaera?

Presence of cartilaginous endoskeleton Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the skin of Chimaera?

Naked with a groove housing the lateral line Signup and view all the answers

What are the young of Chimaera characterized by?

Having placoid scales Signup and view all the answers

What type of skull structure is found in Chimaera?

Autostylic skull Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Chimaera monstrosa (Rat-fish)

Commonly known as rat-fish or king of herrings.
Body is elongated, shark-like, measuring up to 1 metre in length.
Head is large and compressed with a blunt conical snout.
Skin is naked with a characteristic open groove lodging the lateral line system.
Mouth and nostrils are ventral in position.
Gill-slits covered with a non-bony operculum. Spiracles are absent.
Pectoral and pelvic fins are large. Ventral fin small.
Two large dorsal fins, anterior over the pectoral fins with a stout spine in front and posterior one is continuous and non-erectile.
Caudal fin consists of nearly equal-sized dorsal and ventral lobes.
Tail is long, tapering whip-like and diphycercal.
Sexual dimorphism exists. In male, head possesses a frontal clasper armed with a pad of recurved denticles, a pair of claspers present behind the pelvic fins and a pair of claspers in front of pectoral fins.
Eggs enclosed in egg shell. Young rat-fish is with placoid scales.
Geographical distribution: off the coasts of Europe from Norway to Portugal including the Mediterranean and also in the neighbourhood of Azores, Cape of Good Hope and coasts of Japan and North America.
Upper Devonian to Recent.
Shows selachian and certain specialised characters. Selachian characters are cartilaginous endoskeleton, limb girdles, dermal denticles, absence of air bladder, presence of spiral valve in the intestine, conus arteriosus and clapsers in males. Specialised characters are autostylic skull, fused palatoquadrate with cranium, dental plates for crushing, and five claspers in male.
Marine fish found at a depth of 350 to 2200 metres.
Feeds on fishes, invertebrates and seaweeds.

Scoliodon (Dogfish)

Commonly called dogfish or dogshark.
Body is long, laterally compressed, spindle-shaped and it measures 30 to 60 cm in length.
Body is divisible into head, trunk and tail.
Color of the body is dark grey on the dorsal and lateral surfaces, while it is pale on the ventral surface.
Head is strongly compressed dorso-ventrally and produced in front into a wedge-shaped snout.
Trunk is the largest part of the body extending from behind the gill-slits up to the cloacal aperture. Tail is heterocercal with caudal fin.
Head bears a pair of eyes, wide ventral crescentic mouth, a pair of external nostrils and five pairs of lateral gill-clefts.
Trunk bears two dorsals, a caudal and a ventral or anal fins.
Paired fins are pectorals and pelvics. In between pelvic fins lies the cloacal aperture.
In male, each pelvic fin has a copulatory organ called clasper connected with its inner edge.
Active swimmers, predaceous and voracious feeders.

Torpedo or Astrape (Electric Ray)

Electric organs consist of muscle fibers arranged in blocks and serve as batteries. These fishes are capable of giving a heavy electric shock.
Tail is relatively short with two dorsal fins and a caudal fin.
Viviparous and produces live young ones.
Geographical distribution: Mediterranean, Red Sea, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, East Indies, China, Tasmania, Australia, Japan, South Africa, North and South America. T.marmorata is found in Indian Ocean.
Upper Jurassic to Recent.

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Description

Test your knowledge on Chimaera monstrosa, commonly known as the rat-fish or king of herrings. This quiz covers its unique physical characteristics, sexual dimorphism, and reproductive habits. Dive in to learn more about this fascinating marine species!