spotted ratfish
Hydrolagus colliei
Bottom chimaera of the northeastern Pacific, from southwestern Alaska to Baja California. It does not occur in Brazil. It has a dorsal spine that can cause a painful wound.
Also called: peixe-rato-manchado, quimera manchada, ratón, spotted ratfish
- maximum
- 100 cm
- depth
- 50–400 m
who is the spotted ratfish
The spotted ratfish is a chimaera of the family Chimaeridae, with an elongated body and a brown or reddish-brown color, with small white spots. It reaches 100 cm. It lives near the bottom, from near the coast down to 913 m, most common between 50 and 400 m. It feeds on mollusks, crustaceans and fish. It is oviparous: the female lays two eggs at a time, each inside a capsule. It has a dorsal spine that can cause a painful wound. Its meat is edible but flavorless, and fishing for it has no commercial interest.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the spotted ratfish.
fun facts
- Fishers say they fear the jaws more than the dorsal spine.
identification
Short, rounded snout, no anal fin, and an almost symmetrical tail. The body is brown or reddish-brown, with small white spots on the head and trunk. The spine in front of the dorsal fin has a smooth edge, without serrations. It lives in the northeastern Pacific, from Alaska to Baja California.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Northeastern Pacific, from the southwestern coast of Alaska to Baja California, in Mexico, including the Gulf of California and Costa Rica. It does not occur in Brazil.
Habitat: Bottom from near the coast down to 913 meters, most common between 50 and 400 meters deep.
rules for the spotted ratfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Watch the dorsal spine, which can cause a painful wound: hold it by the body, away from the spine, and release it with minimal handling.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00331, b = 3.07; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Hydrolagus colliei (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Hydrolagus collieiNames by country and language.