large-eyed rabbitfish
Hydrolagus mirabilis
Deep-water chimaera of the Atlantic, with records in the eastern Atlantic and off the Guianas. It appears in commercial fishing and is not dangerous to people.
Also called: peixe-rato-olhudo, quimera ojón, large-eyed rabbitfish
- maximum
- 38 cm
- depth
- 450–1,933 m
who is the large-eyed rabbitfish
The big-eye ratfish is a chimaera of the family Chimaeridae, with large eyes that give the species its name. It reaches 38 cm in males and 41 cm in females. It lives on the continental slope, in deep waters, between 450 and 1,933 m, usually near 800 m. It feeds on small fish and invertebrates. It is oviparous, and the eggs have a horny shell. It occurs in the eastern Atlantic, from Iceland and the Faroe Islands to northern Spain, and in the western Atlantic, off the Guianas. It appears in commercial fishing. It is not dangerous.
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 large-eyed rabbitfish.
identification
Chimaera with an elongated body and large eyes, which give the species its name, as in other chimaeras of the genus Hydrolagus. It reaches 38 cm in males and 41 cm in females. It lives in deep Atlantic waters, from 450 to 1,933 m. It is a cartilaginous fish, without true bones.
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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
Eastern Atlantic, from Iceland and the Faroe Islands to Spain, and the African coast; in the western Atlantic, records off the Guianas.
Habitat: Continental slope, in deep waters from 450 to 1,933 meters, usually near 800 meters.
rules for the large-eyed rabbitfish
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.
It is not dangerous: 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 mirabilis (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 mirabilisNames by country and language.