3/5/2004: Long-nosed chimaera

Lurker geodog (hah! you're outed, sir) sent this along, and then petecart followed it up with a page full of similar images, which I won't reveal only because you'll enjoy it more spat out at you piece by piece. This is described as a "long-nosed chimaera".

What a chimaera is, exactly, is not explained. The picture doesn't really help.

And it makes you think - what the hell were all those scientists thinking, when they gave names to various things? Googling around, one web site says "chimaera" is an ancient Chinese MYTHICAL creature, made up of one part lion, one part goat, and one part serpent.

Now if only to sidebar further, why did people of ancient times have to come up with weird combo creatures? A plain old lion is frightening enough. I don't think it gets worse if you mix in a goat. "Oh my God, a LION! But he's got weird square eyes..."

So did they name this beast "chimaera" out of some mythological guide, or is it in an AD&D manual somewhere? In any case, this is the first in a series of items from the deep deep ocean, where it turns out there are a whole bunch of the most eerie, frightening living things we've ever known.

And happy Friday. Buhahahaha!

I see that it comes equipped with one of those center top-mounted, European-style radio antennae that are so popular these days amongst car designers.

Yea I paticularly like the images that are on this page:

http://www.comp.utas.edu.au/students-nhm/baina/auv/fish/

Look familiar?

Well that's the series.

This has been my favorite fish, ever since I saw it in the World Book Encyclopedia...

It doesn't matter how ugly that thing is, there are folks in Southern Louisiana who would happily fry it up and eat it.

Originally posted by Nothing But Net
It doesn't matter how ugly that thing is, there are folks in Southern Louisiana who would happily fry it up and eat it.

If the revenuer is good enough for the gumbo pot why not some funny looking fish?

Pass the Zatarain's Thibedeaux!

That chimaera looks like an prehistoric form of duck bill platypus.
Its kinda cute, in a slimy sort of way.

Here is a little more information from the Australian National Oceans Office website :

This species occurs in the South Pacific and off Japan , at depths 700-1300 m. It reaches 1.2 m long. This genus of deep-sea chimaeras goes under different names in different countries. In the USA it is known as a Long-nosed Chimaera while in Europe they use the common name Cyrano Chimaera, named after the fictional French character Cyrano de Bergerac, who had a very long nose. This strange cartilaginous fish uses its long snout to scan over the seafloor for the electrical impulses of its prey that bury in the muddy seafloor, just like a metal detector. Like other chimaeras (such as ghost and elephant sharks), these animals lay horny egg cases in which their young are left to develop, potentially for up to one year.

Back to lurking.

Welcome to the Cellar, Geodog. Thanks for the post, I've never seen that stuff, while sober, before.:)

I have to confess, at first glance I read this thread title as "long-nosed camera."

Seems reminiscent of the Alien movies ... when deep sea exploration and settlement happens, maybe there will be sea monsters like in episode 1 on naboo... I sound like such a geek. :D

Originally posted by Undertoad
And it makes you think - what the hell were all those scientists thinking, when they gave names to various things? Googling around, one web site says "chimaera" is an ancient Chinese MYTHICAL creature, made up of one part lion, one part goat, and one part serpent.

Actually, it's Greek

Y'know, it's only from the lessons of the original Star Trek series that we don't shove hot lead into the mouths of weird-ass beasties like that, and prefer to capture them and study them for scientific purposes.

"Study them for scientific purposes" means, see if the make good sushi, right? That's why that Chimera is on a cutting board.

Apparently, this one is just a baby, then, if they grow up to 1.6 meters long.

I think they'd lose some of their cuteness factor at that size.

I think it lost it's cuteness factor at hatching.

Why is it on a cutting board?

Apparently, someone is hungrier than I am ever going to get.

Originally posted by tjennings
Why is it on a cutting board?

Good question, I'm guessing that's where they examine all the specimens. Some get more thorough examinations than others, which explains the cut marks in the board.;)

Well if they are cutting it up to eat it, all I have to say is "Save a nostril for me." (kidding by the way, I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot fork).

Chimera is used in science for more than just fish. Mice cells can be combined with human cells to make chimeric cells. Part of one protein can be made with part of a second protein to produce a chimeric protein with properties similar to both of the original proteins.

Greek (and latin ) used to be quite common in science, but since no one learns them in school anymore the trend of naming things in a "common" language is dying out. Unless you consider English to be the next common language.

Scientists and deep sea dredgers are finding some weird and wonderful slippery & slimy little ocean critters in the depths between New Zealand and Australia never ever before seen. National Geographic did a story not so long ago about some of the finds, Interesting. Just goes to show that there's more out their then meets the eye.:eek:

More reasons for me to stay out of the damn ocean.:worried:
Welcome to the Celler Electro. Sounds like you could be a great sourse of the straight dope. Thanks.:)

Thats one of the cutest things ever!! how could you say that beautiful thing is ugly?? look at its gorgeous little innocent eye gazing out into the camera. thats one amazing, incredible creature. I hope those bastard scientists have fun killing them for scientific experiments.

You think that's cute? Hey, maybe you could be my next ex.:)

that depends.. would you be willing to undergo scientific experiments too? :D

Oh goodie, kinky too.;)

So thats a yes?

*Glove Snap*




:p

They tell me abuse is better than nothing.:blush:

ok then, up you get on the board.

[SIZE=1]This might hurt a little......[/SIZE]


:rattat:

Oh yes, you'll make a perfect ex.:D

the perfect ex = lives on the other side of the earth

:thumb:

Or at the bottom of the ocean with the Chimaeras....

:eek: