Where do chimaera fish species live and what do they look like? How to cook chimera fish. Is chimera fish edible? Natural enemies of chimeras Lifestyle of the long-nosed chimera

Is it possible to eat Chimera fish?

.. or Adventures of a Housewife.

Friends, recently at the market I saw a beautiful fish: a silvery carcass with spots without a head and tail, only 1 fin across the entire back, a clean stomach, white meat and no scales! Not a fish, but a housewife's dream!

The only thing that confused me was the name - Chimera.

What is a chimera

In a word Chimera in ancient Greece they called fictional monsters that combined parts of various animals - a lion, a goat and a snake. The ugly appearance was combined with an evil disposition.

But the fish lying in front of me was so good that, despite vague forebodings, I bought it.

How I prepared the chimera

At home, I quickly cleaned the chimera, cut it into pieces, salted and peppered it, rolled it in flour and put it in a frying pan in hot oil.

The fish was fried, but there was no golden crust or a thick fishy smell. Another time you fry fish, the smell is enough to take away the saints. And then time goes by and nothing happens!

I tried a thin piece - the fish is no longer raw, but it does not come off the spine, it crumbles.

The pug Filimon, a big fish lover, was hanging around nearby. We ate a small piece of the chimera with him. My mouth felt bitter.

Our pug loves fish)))

What kind of fish is a chimera?

Feeling a strange taste, I thought: “Maybe I’m cooking chimera fish incorrectly?” I decided to look on the Internet.

The very first headline blew me away. I quote:

Is chimera fish edible?

And then it was written: “Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Chimera fish was considered inedible.” True, the Scandinavians used its liver to prepare wound-healing medicines (well, this still doesn’t say anything, their knights and fly agarics ate them), and the cunning Japanese learned to cook the chimera in some special way (that is, it became clear that according to traditional fish You can’t cook a chimera with recipes).

What does a chimera fish look like?

A photo of the fish was attached to the description. Indeed, a monster: a huge head, large, white eyes, green pupil. The pectoral fins are so large that they resemble wings, and half of the one and a half meter body is a thin tail. It's not for nothing that a chimera is on sale - without a head and tail...

That's what she is, a chimera. Photo: blogtiburones.com

No, the fish cannot be called ugly. She's just scary. Maybe that’s why there are legends about how, having gathered in a flock, predatory chimeras attack people, gnawing off pieces of them.

Arctic chimera, drawing: twinkleinglight.tumblr.com

Do chimeras really attack humans?

I think that these are fairy tales and not true, after all, the chimera is a deep-sea fish. But I don’t recommend dating her, even fried. The bitterness in my mouth remained for several hours. What if the piece of fish eaten was larger?

Imagine the epitaph... “Natasha Rybka, who died from the Chimera fish”)))))))

Afterword

I didn’t take a photo of either the fresh or the fried chimera, I was so stunned by the whole situation at the time. And a week later I went to the market again, to the fish rows. To take a picture of this strange, conditionally edible (or, still not?) creature for history.

The chimera was in place. But instead of its terrible name, the price tag read: sea ​​hare. I thought it was disguised. Well, what can you expect from a chimera?

I asked the seller why you sell inedible fish. She assured that that batch of chimera (aka sea hare) was frozen incorrectly, which is why it tasted bitter. Well, you know, I didn’t bother checking to see if this was true, health is more valuable.

Also, for impressionable dog breeders, I hasten to assure that not a single pug was harmed during the preparation of the chimera.)))

Well, can this long tail of a chimera be called a fin?! This is just some kind of whip. Photo: zoosite.com.ua

• Subclass: Holocephali = Whole-headed, fused-skull fish
• Order: Chimaeriformes = Chimera-like
• Family: Callorhinchidae Garman, 1901 = Callorhinchidae, stuporous chimeras
• Species: Callorhinchus milii (Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1823) = Australian [Australian-New Zealand] callorhinchus

Family: Callorhinchidae = Callorhynchidae, stuporous chimeras

WHOLE-HEADED FISH (holocephali) - a subclass of cartilaginous fish, includes a single order of chimera-like fish, divided into three families. The body length of whole-headed fish is from 60 cm to two meters. They are distinguished by the presence of four pairs of gill slits and the absence of a squirter. The skeleton is partially calcified. A characteristic feature of whole-headed animals is the absence of vertebral bodies and the fusion of the upper jaw with the skull (hence the name). The body is naked, “skin teeth” formed by placoid scales are located only on the jaws, the swim bladder is absent, and there is an arterial cone in the heart. Unlike elasmobranch fishes, wholeheads lack a cloaca.

Whole-headed animals are exclusively marine, usually deep-sea animals. These are predators whose main food consists of bottom invertebrates (crabs, sea urchins, gastropods and bivalves), as well as some fish. Fertilization is internal. The male copulatory organ, or pterygopodia, is a modified pelvic fin. Whole-headed animals reproduce by laying eggs enclosed in a special capsule with outgrowths. The wholeheads are thought to have evolved from extinct shark-like ancestors and represent a lateral phylogenetic branch unrelated to bony fishes. They are known from the Upper Devonian, their heyday lasted until the Cretaceous period.

CHIMERAURA FISH

CHIMERO-FORM FISHES (Chimaeriformes) - a detachment of cartilaginous fishes of the subclass of whole-headed fishes, includes three families, about 30 species. The length of these fish is from 60 cm to 2 m, females are larger than males. The body is valval, slightly compressed laterally, gradually becoming thinner towards the tail, which in some species ends in a long thread. In front of the first dorsal fin there is a poisonous spine, which can be retracted into a special recess on the back. The second dorsal fin is very long, reaching the beginning of the caudal fin. The pectoral fins are large and fan-shaped, the pelvic fins are smaller. The mouth is small, lower, there is no squirter, the rostrum protruding forward forms the so-called snout. In species of the chimera fish family it is short and blunt, in representatives of the nosed chimera family it is elongated like a long peak, and in the callorhynchus family it is shaped like a hoe. Chimera-like creatures breathe with their mouths closed because they pump water into the mouth. The naked body is covered with abundant mucus.

These are deep-sea fish that lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. They are found at depths of up to 2500 m in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, and are absent in the Arctic Ocean and Antarctic waters. At least the smaller species are gregarious. Chimaeras swim quite quickly, bending their tail in waves and scooping up water with their pectoral fins, using their horizontally spaced pelvic fins as stabilizers. They are active at night, feeding on bottom invertebrates (mollusks, crabs, brittle stars, sea urchins), and less often on small fish.

Fertilization is internal; carried out with the help of special copulatory organs of the male - pterygopodia. Chimaeras reproduce by laying eggs, each of which is enclosed in a horny capsule 12–42 cm long. After 9–12 months, fully formed fish emerge from the eggs. Chimaeras are of commercial importance on the Pacific coast of the United States, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Japan and China. The fat from the liver is used as a medicine and lubricant, and the meat is used as food. Extinct representatives of the order are found from the Lower Jurassic, and modern genera from the Upper Cretaceous.

CALLORHYNCHIS

CALLORHINCHES (proboscis-snouted chimeras) (Callorhinchidae), family of cartilaginous fish, subclass whole-headed, 1 genus, 3-4 species. Body length is about 1 m, weight - up to 10 kg. The body color is greenish-yellow, with three black stripes along the sides. The mucus covering the body has special light-refracting properties, which is why freshly caught fish have a bright silvery-rainbow tint. The front part of the snout is elongated into a kind of laterally compressed proboscis, the end of which, with a transverse leaf-shaped blade, is sharply bent back. It probably serves both as a locator and as a shovel. With its help, fish hovering above the bottom can detect and dig up invertebrates buried in the ground. Tail without filamentous appendage. The anal fin is short, separated from the caudal fin by a deep notch.

Distributed only in temperate and moderately cold waters of the southern hemisphere - off the coast of South America (from Southern Brazil and Peru to Tierra del Fuego), South Africa, South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. They are usually caught at depths from 5 to 50 m. In the cold season they go down to 200 m and deeper. Females lay egg capsules ranging in length from 17 to 42 cm. In New Zealand, Callorhinchus milii is hunted and used as food.

NOSE CHIMERAS (rhinochimaeridae), family of cartilaginous fishes of the subclass of whole-headed fishes, 3 genera, 6 species.

They are distinguished by a highly elongated, pointed snout. They are the deepest-sea representatives of the order, as a result of which they are known from a very small number of finds. Almost nothing is known about their lifestyle and biology. Found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Apparently they also live in the Indian Ocean, where their egg capsules were found.

The chocolate brown Harriotta haeckeli reaches a length of 1.03 m. It is known from the North Atlantic from depths of 1800-2600 m.

In the genus of long-nosed chimeras, which gives its name to the entire family, two species are known. The Atlantic long-nosed chimera (Rhinochimaera allantica) is found in the North Atlantic, and the Pacific long-nosed chimera (Rhinochimaera pacifica) is found off the coast of Japan.

This fish does not belong to the most popular marine inhabitants. It is quite rare and many, having heard the name, will not even understand what we are talking about. Let's try to eliminate this ignorance a little. Chimera fish belong to the benthic and deep-sea inhabitants of the deep sea. This applies to all its known varieties. It is distributed in all oceans and seas of the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. It feeds on small fish, crustaceans, mollusks and starfish. It has a length of up to one and a half meters.

general information

The chimera fish, although clumsy and slow, is well suited for searching for prey on the seabed, such as shellfish. Some species of this underwater inhabitant are armed with a poisonous dorsal spine, which is an unexpected and real surprise for sharks and other predators who dare to attack it.

Let's find out what a chimera is.
The fish, the photo of which is in front of you, looks very funny, but that is until you learn about its poisonous weapon. How does she look for a tasty treat in the darkness, silt and algae? The chimera is superbly helped in this by its nose, which digs the bottom of the sea and has special receptors for searching. It lives and hunts mostly in shallow seas, but there are representatives who prefer to search for prey in deep waters.

Features of the chimera

“Silver trumpet” is the name of the chimera in New Zealand, served fried and with chips. And “White fillet” is an Australian delicacy. Let's say you come across a chimera fish. Is it possible to eat it? The answer is simple - of course, you can.

Types of chimeras and their habitats

There are three main types of our fish:

1. The chimera with a plow-shaped head belongs to the family Callorhynchidae, lives in shallow coastal waters and, thanks to its sensitive, unusually shaped snout, successfully finds mollusks in the sandy bottom.
2. Blunt-nosed, belongs to the family Chimaeridae, lives in deeper and darker waters, up to 500 meters deep. Thanks to its hypersensitive eyes, the ghost shark quickly and easily spots starfish and other local inhabitants of sea waters suitable for eating.
3. The long-nosed chimera fish from the family Rhinochimaeridae lives at even greater depths and has a sensitive elongated snout, which is designed to search for mollusks where there is no light at all.

The chimera fish itself, as the photo confirms, is very beautiful, with silvery spotted sides.

Chimera fish: how to cook in the oven

People from the camp that decided that it is quite edible claim that sea rabbit dishes are very tasty. In addition, you can often see this delicacy on store shelves. There is one plus here - the creepy-looking chimera is sold already cleaned. So, at the end of our introductory article, we will tell you the recipe for preparing our fish with vegetables in the oven.

For this we will need the following ingredients: one sea rabbit carcass, one carrot, one onion, fish seasonings, salt, half a lemon and a few tablespoons of vegetable oil.

The process of preparing a chimera in the oven

Let's start cooking with vegetables, since they need to be stewed first. Peel the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater. Place the frying pan on the fire, pour a little vegetable oil and lay out the vegetable. Next, we peel it to taste much more tender than usual, cut it into half rings and also put it in the frying pan. Mix the vegetables, add salt, add a little water (a few tablespoons) and cover with a lid. Stirring from time to time, simmer until fully cooked. It's time to get your hands on the fish. We cut off the short fin on the carcass with scissors. After that, cut it into small pieces. Pour seasonings and salt into a small saucer, mix them and rub each piece of fish with this mixture.

It will marinate while our vegetables are stewing. As soon as the onions and carrots are ready, take a baking dish and transfer the vegetables into it. There is no need to pre-grease the baking sheet with oil. Next, place pieces of chimera fish on top of the vegetables and squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto it. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, place the mold in it, and after 20 minutes the delicious dish is ready. It should be served hot with a side dish of rice or mashed potatoes. Bon appetit!

The deep waters of the mysterious oceans are inhabited by mysterious creatures. 400 million years ago, an unusual underwater inhabitant appeared - the chimera fish.

This creature is sometimes called a ghost shark. And this fish received the name chimera for its appearance. The fact is that in Greek mythology there was a legend about a monstrous woman, whose entire body was formed from parts of various animals. Seeing a fish with a strange appearance, the ancient Greeks decided that its body was not at all like an ordinary fish - but as if it was also made up of animal parts. That is why the chimera fish got its name.

This fish belongs to the cartilaginous fish, represents the order Chimera, family Chimaera.

Among the class of cartilaginous fish, chimeras were the very first to appear on our planet. They are considered distant relatives. Today, scientists have counted about 50 species of these unusual fish on our planet.

Appearance of chimera fish

The body length of an adult reaches 1.5 meters. The skin of these fish is smooth, with multi-colored tints. In males, between the eyes on the head there is a bone growth (spike) that has a curved shape.

The tail of these fish is very long, reaching a size equal to half the length of the entire body. A distinctive feature of the appearance of these representatives of the chimaera family can be called large wing-shaped lateral fins. By straightening them, the chimera becomes somewhat similar to a bird.

The colors of these fish are very diverse, but the predominant colors are light gray and black with frequent and large white patches throughout the surface. In the front part of the body, near the dorsal fin, chimeras have poisonous outgrowths; they are very strong and sharp. The animal uses them for its own protection.

Where does the “ghost shark” live?

Representatives of chimera fish can be found in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean - from Norway to Iceland, from the Mediterranean Sea to the southern coast of the African continent. In addition, these creatures live in the Barents Sea.

Behavior in nature

These fish are inhabitants of deep waters. They can be found at depths of over 2.5 kilometers. They lead a rather secretive lifestyle. That is why scientists still cannot study these creatures in detail.

It is only known that these fish hunt in the dark, by touch. To attract prey, they use special devices of the oral apparatus - photophores. These “devices” emit a glow, and the victim itself floats towards the light, right into the mouth of the chimera.

What constitutes the basis of the diet of deep-sea chimera fish?

These cartilaginous fish feed mainly on mollusks, echinoderms, and crustaceans. They can eat other fish that live at the same depths as the chimeras themselves. To eat armored and echinoderm animals that have sharp spines on their bodies, the chimera has sharp teeth that have decent strength and a strong grip.

How do chimeras breed their offspring?

These fish are dioecious creatures. After females mate with males, females lay eggs, which are placed in a special hard capsule.

The reproduction process, just like the lifestyle of these fish, is currently poorly studied by scientists.

Natural enemies of chimeras

Due to their deep-sea lifestyle, chimera fish have virtually no enemies. But there is one caveat: young individuals of these fish are often eaten by their own relatives, only older ones. That's what they are, these underwater predators!

Economic importance of chimeras

The meat of these fish is considered inedible, but people attribute miraculous properties of healing from many diseases to the fat extracted from the liver of these underwater inhabitants.

Like a hare fish. If you are interested in knowing what this sea creature is, then this article is for you. We will discuss whether there are benefits from this fish. We will also find out whether it poses any harm to the human body.

To see this fish in full, you need to consult a reference book. The point is that she is not sold head on. You can only purchase fragments of its fish body, so to speak. They are sold in purified form. Therefore, it is very difficult to understand what kind of fish it is in its original form. There is a lot of deception on fish counters. Since the hare fish is often passed off as a simple hake or pollock. The cod-like little fish are similar to our marine species.

Sharks use their ears to find food. Sharks are able to detect small electrical impulses in the water. This meaning can be very useful because all animals produce a certain type of electrical signal. This allows them to detect movements in the water from hundreds of meters away. Because they capture electrical signals generated by prey, they can detect the movements of other animals. The sixth sense exists thanks to electroreceptive organs called ampullae of Lorenzini, which were discovered not so long ago.

These bubbles are pores filled with gelatin. They are located around the head, with greater concentration near the snout, and are connected to the brain by nerve endings. In principle, bubbles are electric field detectors. Every living thing produces an electric field, and sharks can sense it.

What is hare fish?

This fish is cartilaginous. She doesn't have a bubble. Therefore, in order to stay afloat, she constantly needs to be on the move. Like the shark, this fish will otherwise simply fall to the seabed. Hare is prepared like any other fish. It needs to be salted, then coated with flour or batter, and then fried in a hot frying pan.

Oddly enough, sometimes sharks attack metal objects. This behavior is due to the fact that in the sea, metals emit electrical signals that make mining possible. Sharks can not only detect their prey, but also a diver or possible hunter without even seeing them.

The skin is made up of very small structures called dermal denticles. They are formed by the basal plate of bone. The dermal denticles have important functions both to reduce exhaustion during swimming and noise caused by the movement of the shark itself, as well as a protective function. As the animal grows, the dermal denticles grow in number rather than in size and are important in identifying different species.

Some sources indicate that this fish emits an unpleasant odor. But that's not true. Although the smell of hare is not as pleasant as the smell of cod, it does not stink obnoxiously. The taste of the finished fish is simply amazing. Regular fish has bones, but this one has cartilage. Thanks to this structure, fish meat is very easy to separate using cutlery.

Most shark species grow very slowly and take many years to reach sexual maturity. Sharks have a fairly long reproductive cycle, ranging from one to two years, as well as their gestation period. Gestation lasts three to four months for small species and up to two years or more for large sharks. Its birth rate is low compared to other fish, which can produce thousands to millions of eggs. 70% of sharks are born alive: they are viviparous or ovoid. The remaining 30% of egg production, i.e. lay eggs.

The embryo grows inside the egg and leaves only when it is fully developed. Ovoviviparity: Embryos develop inside an egg in the mother's uterus. They do not feed on the placenta, but on a fluid called the yolk, which is contained in the yolk sac. The embryo is nourished by the yolk sac until it is exposed to light from the mother.

• The fetus is nourished through the mother's blood through the umbilical cord.
• Oviparatic: the mother seals the egg in a collagen capsule.
• These capsules are important because you protect them from predators.
• The mother releases the eggs into the sea, entangling them with algae or coral.

Benefits and harms

Distrust of our fish is caused by the fact that it is considered an exotic product, and many people know absolutely nothing about it. In fact, hare fish meat is very nutritious and juicy. This fish was not considered suitable for consumption until the twentieth century. Now it is a rare delicacy in many expensive restaurants around the world.

There are species of sharks that live in tropical waters and others that live in temperate and cold waters. Photo 2: Distribution of sharks in the world. Rays are cartilaginous fish and are closely related to sharks. The main part of the body is very smooth both above and below. The pectoral fins are attached to the back of the skull to form a body disc.

They have a small tail and are not used for swimming. Movement is produced by the extremities of the pectoral fins, but most lack dorsal and caudal fins. The eyes are located at the top. Foundation objects locate them thanks to the olfactory system developed in the lateral line and electroreceptors.

She's very helpful. It contains quite a lot of protein, which is easily and quickly absorbed by the human body. It also contains a lot of vitamins such as A, E, and D. Moreover, this fish is filled with useful minerals. Since fish contains a large amount of fatty acids, its meat is considered particularly nutritious. The calorie content of fish is such that for one hundred grams of its meat there are one hundred and sixteen kcal.

To breathe, the rays do not enter the water through the mouth, but through spiracles located behind the eyes. The gill slits are located on the lower surface. . The skin of the rays is formed, like that of sharks, by dermal denticles, which allow them to have better hydrodynamism.

The rays, which protect themselves, have poisonous bites and electrical organs. These animals have two organs called electroplates located on either side of the head. Electrical boards do not recharge immediately and can therefore take anywhere from a few minutes to several days.

The rays' venom is produced by glandular tissue arranged in two parallel grooves located behind the bite, which is usually proportional to the size of the line. There are stripes in almost all the world's seas; they are marine animals par excellence. They usually live near the coast. These animals are born near the coast and as they grow they move into deeper waters, especially in winter.

Is there any harm from eating this fish? You can only suffer if you are personally intolerant to this marine product. Our hare also has a poisonous fin. This is the top fin. Because of this, fish carcasses should be separated with extreme caution. The fish is quite oily. It should not be abused.

additional information

The fish has expressive eyes. Apparently, this is the reason that she was given such a name as a hare. But she is nothing more like an ordinary hare. Since fish lead an unusual lifestyle, they are sometimes called the rats of the seas. They feed on solid foods such as shellfish or crayfish. The fish's jaws are very powerful, so fishermen are very careful with this fish. The hare lays eggs. Scandinavians eat these eggs.

They lie on the ground, and sometimes they bury themselves in the sand; they remain motionless for a long time, thus they maintain the possibility of eventual prey. The stripes move due to the wavy or vertical movements of the pectoral fins.

They are covered with a viscous layer that smoothes out body irregularities, reducing surface tension and friction during movement. Also, like sharks, they lack a swim bladder, but thanks to their pectoral fins they avoid diving. This feature eliminates the need to have a developed liver to improve buoyancy.

The price issue is not certain. The cost of fish fluctuates. In general, hare fish costs a little more than regular cod. But you won’t find our fish in every store. There is a better chance of finding this delicacy in special stores selling exotic marine products. The hare fish is also of the aquarium type. It is decorative and is not consumed as food. This kind of fish is very expensive.

The most primitive fish among them are cartilaginous fish. Fossil evidence suggests that they were once an abundant and highly diverse order. Long ago they were related to sharks, although their evolutionary line split 400 million years ago and they have remained an isolated group ever since.

Characteristics of chimeras

Photo 4: Image of the depth chimera. Like sharks, chimeras do not have bones, but cartilage. Its skin is soft and consists of placoid scales. The lateral lines that cross the body of chimeras are mechano-receptive organs that detect pressure waves. In the frontal part of the face there are some lines formed by points called ampullae of Lorenzini, which detect electrical signals generated by living beings.

It is believed that sellers sell fish much higher than the stated price. They may invent their own names for the hare fish to show it as a rarer and more expensive fish. Some even sell tasteless fish with tough meat, passing it off as a chimera. It is easy to fall for such deception.

The fact that the fish has a rather funny nickname. This suggests that it is not extremely rare. Abroad, it is found in many restaurants. You shouldn’t be afraid and believe all the nonsense about hare fish that you can find in various sources. This fish is healthy, tasty, and not very expensive.

Reproduction of chimeras we can say that the males do not have a penis, but other very interesting genital organs. Like sharks, chimeras also have flower stalks which they use to grasp the female and have grooves to guide sperm. Chimeras have direct development, meaning they hatch in the mother's body and emerge as small fish.

What is the ecological role of sharks in the seas?

For example, white sharks are very important from an ecological point of view because they have direct control over the populations of tuna, seals, turtles, dolphins, and sea lions. They also have another important function as scavengers because they feed on dead whales and pilot whales and help process organic matter so that it can be used by other organisms.

If you have a chance to try the meat of this fish, do not deny yourself this pleasure. Be sure to try this one. Its taste is reminiscent of shark meat. Therefore, not everyone will like it as a main course. So, now you know what hare fish is. You know why it is useful and whether it can be dangerous. You have all the information you need about our exotic fish. You know that hare fish can be a great addition to your overall diet.

In short, sharks influence their composition, helping to preserve biodiversity. Every year, millions of sharks are killed in addition to accidental catches, especially a truly absurd practice called shark finning: after being captured with their owner, they board a boat and cut off the dorsal and lateral fins. They are then thrown into the sea, still alive, unable to breathe or swim, they flood and die very slowly.

All this is yet to be done due to the demand for shark soup, which has no nutritional value and no taste, especially in Asian countries such as China. Species that survive uncontrolled fishing cannot reproduce quickly enough to compensate for the number of sharks killed. This situation threatens the balance of marine ecosystems around the world. Sharks are important predators that have characterized marine life for over 400 million years and are important to the health of the planet.

Recipe (video)

Fish lovers are divided into two camps: some claim that the chimera is inedible, and others claim that it makes excellent dishes. Be that as it may, the sea rabbit (this is another name for a chimera, along with the sea hare) can now often be seen on store shelves. The fish was called a chimera for its eerie appearance: it has an unattractive head and a very long lower fin. Apparently, due to the scary appearance, the carcasses of this fish are sold already cleaned. We bought one of these and decided to experiment. Chimera in the oven with vegetables it turned out very tasty!

Diving with sharks, blankets and rays or watching sharks in an aquarium

One way to get close to these animals is by diving or observing in aquariums. Another way to observe sharks is in aquariums, where in addition to sharks, you can also observe other marine animals. In aquariums, behavior can also be modified, but given the inability to submerge, they are a great option.

Animals often camouflage themselves to deceive their predators. Inevitably, when you talk about camouflage, you have colors and textures. Think of the white hare that gets tangled up in the snow, those insects that look like leaves or branches, or that owl that has no one to find but that wakes you up every day at five o'clock in the morning.

Ingredients:

sea ​​rabbit carcass – 1 piece;

carrots – 1 piece;

onion – 1 piece;

salt - to taste;

seasonings for fish - to taste;

lemon – ½ piece;

vegetable oil - a few tablespoons.

Cooking chimera in the oven.

Take the required amount of ingredients.

But there are several other types of camouflage. There is, for example, sound camouflage. Some moths are capable of emitting ultrasounds that confuse bats when they try to detect them using an eco-localization system. There is also chemical camouflage, like the one used by the protagonist of our story: fish.

This fish lives in Australian waters, in an ecosystem rich in corals, from which it usually feeds. In doing so, it ingests and processes chemical compounds from the corals, some of which are responsible for its smell. Thanks to various mechanisms, the fish uses these substances and manages to smell the corals. This gives it a huge adaptive advantage as it allows it to hide from its predators, who cannot tell the difference between fish and coral.

Let's start with: before putting them in the oven together with the fish, the carrots and onions need to be stewed. Therefore, we peel the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater. Place a frying pan on the fire, pour a little vegetable oil on the bottom and lay out the grated carrots.

While the carrots are stewing, peel the white onion (it has a much more delicate taste than regular white onions), cut into half rings and also add to the frying pan. Mix the vegetables, add salt, add a few tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Simmer until fully cooked, stirring occasionally.

Some moths are capable of emitting ultrasounds that deceive bats. Researchers studied this phenomenon using two different methods. First, they placed the 007 fish and corals at the ends of the tank. They dropped a crab in the middle of it, which feeds on the same coral as our secret agent, and they closed their eyes. The poor crab was disoriented and didn't know where to go. The two ends of the pool smelled of a delicious and precious delicacy, poor man. About half the time, the experiment ended with free tea for the crab.

Now let's get to the fish. There is one short fin on the carcass - we cut it off with scissors. The chimera itself looks beautiful: it has speckled silver sides.

Cut the fish into pieces 2-3 centimeters thick.

But the other half turned out to be an elusive character that, unfortunately, was not edible for him. Conclusion: the smell of fish is indistinguishable from the smell of coral, even for a demanding gourmet. On the other hand, they did a similar experiment by placing a fish near a coral and releasing a cod, the deadly archaemia of our fish 007. The cod was unable to find its prey, perfectly camouflaged among the corals. However, if 007 hid in a different coral than the one that usually serves breakfast, the cod ended up being chased.

Chemical camouflage has been known for some time. However, the study authors emphasize that this is the first time diet-based chemical camouflage has been observed in a vertebrate. This has been seen as similar in caterpillars, which survive ant attacks using a similar strategy.

Pour salt and fish seasonings into a small bowl. Mix them and rub each piece of fish with this mixture. While the vegetables are stewing, the fish will be marinated in spices. To enhance the effect, you can even put it in the refrigerator during this time.

If the carrots are already ready, you can take a baking dish and transfer the vegetables into it. Additionally, there is no need to grease the pan with oil, because the fat will transfer along with the carrots and onions.

Place sea rabbit pieces on top of the vegetables. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto the fish.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, place the dish with the fish in it and bake for 20 minutes.
Chimera fish in the oven is ready! It should be served hot. An excellent side dish would be mashed potatoes or boiled rice. In a similar way, you can bake a chimera without carrots - only with onions.