Classification
In some classifications the chimaeras are included (as subclass Holocephali) in the class Chondrichthyes of cartilaginous fishes; in other systems this distinction may be raised to the level of class. Chimaeras also have some characteristics of bony fishes.
A renewed effort to explore deep water and to undertake taxonomic analysis of specimens in museum collections led to a boom during the first decade of the 21st century in the number of new species identified. There are more than fifty extant species in six genera and three families (an additional three genera and two families are only known from fossils):
Family Callorhinchidae
- Genus Callorhinchus
- Callorhinchus callorynchus (Ploughnose chimaera)
- Callorhinchus capensis (Cape elephantfish)
- Callorhinchus milii (Australian ghost shark)
- Genus †Edaphodon-prehistoric
- †Edaphodon agassizi
- †Edaphodon antwerpiensis
- †Edaphodon bucklandi
- †Edaphodon eyrensis
- †Edaphodon kawai
- †Edaphodon laqueatus
- †Edaphodon leptognathus - (has not been formally classified)
- †Edaphodon minor
- †Edaphodon mirabilis - (has not been formally classified)
- †Edaphodon mirificus
- †Edaphodon sedgwicki
- †Edaphodon smocki
- †Edaphodon stenobryus
- †Edaphodon tripartitus
Family Chimaeridae
- Genus Chimaera
- Chimaera argiloba (Whitefin chimaera)
- Chimaera bahamaensis (Bahamas ghost shark)
- Chimaera cubana
- Chimaera fulva (Southern Chimaera)
- Chimaera jordani (Jordan's Chimaera)
- Chimaera lignaria (Carpenter's chimaera)
- Chimaera macrospina (Longspine Chimaera)
- Chimaera monstrosa (Rabbit fish)
- Chimaera notafricana Cape Chimaera
- Chimaera obscura (Shortspine Chimaera)
- Chimaera opalescens
- Chimaera owstoni (Owston's Chimaera)
- Chimaera panthera (Leopard Chimaera)
- Chimaera phantasma (Silver chimaera)
- Genus Hydrolagus
- Hydrolagus affinis (Smalleyed rabbitfish)
- Hydrolagus africanus (African chimaera)
- Hydrolagus alberti
- Hydrolagus alphus
- Hydrolagus barbouri
- Hydrolagus bemisi (Pale ghost shark)
- Hydrolagus colliei (Spotted ratfish)
- Hydrolagus deani (Philippine chimaera)
- Hydrolagus eidolon
- Hydrolagus homonycteris (Black Ghostshark)
- Hydrolagus lemures (Blackfin ghostshark)
- Hydrolagus lusitanicus
- Hydrolagus macrophthalmus
- Hydrolagus marmoratus Marbled Ghostshark
- Hydrolagus matallanasi (Striped rabbitfish)
- Hydrolagus mccoskeri (Galápagos Ghostshark)
- Hydrolagus melanophasma (Eastern Pacific Black Ghostshark)
- Hydrolagus mirabilis (Large-eyed rabbitfish)
- Hydrolagus mitsukurii (Spookfish)
- Hydrolagus novaezealandiae (Dark ghostshark)
- Hydrolagus ogilbyi
- Hydrolagus pallidus
- Hydrolagus purpurescens (Purple chimaera)
- Hydrolagus trolli (Pointy-nosed blue chimaera)
- Hydrolagus waitei
- Hydrolagus sp. D/G Giant Black Chimaera
- Hydrolagus sp. F Peruvian Ratfish
Family Rhinochimaeridae
- Genus Harriotta
- Harriotta haeckeli (Smallspine spookfish)
- Harriotta raleighana (Pacific Longnose chimaera)
- Genus Neoharriotta
- Neoharriotta carri (Dwarf sicklefin chimaera)
- Neoharriotta pinnata (Sicklefin chimaera)
- Neoharriotta pumila (Arabian sicklefin chimaera)
- Genus Rhinochimaera
- Rhinochimaera africana (Paddle-nose chimaera)
- Rhinochimaera atlantica (Straightnose rabbitfish)
- Rhinochimaera pacifica (Pacific spookfish)
Family †Squalorajidae
- Genus Squaloraja
Family †Echinochimaeridae
- Genus Echinochimaera
- †Echinochimaera meltoni
- †Echinochimaera snyderi
Read more about this topic: Chimaera