Dr. Eric Hilton, curator of the Nunnally Ichthyology Collection at VIMS, describes a preserved specimen of chimaera, or ratfish. These cartilaginous fish, who genus name Hydrolagus translates to "water rabbit", have well-developed tooth plates with sharp, incisor-lie edges, reminiscent of rabbit teeth. Chimaeras, which typically inhabit the deep sea, are a peculiar evolutionary offshoot of sharks.

Originally posted: March 4, 2022.