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Illustration of Large-eyed rabbitfish
fishing forecast

large-eyed rabbitfish

Hydrolagus mirabilis · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the large-eyed rabbitfish

how to recognize it

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.

Also called: peixe-rato-olhudo, quimera ojón, large-eyed rabbitfish

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Continental slope, in deep waters from 450 to 1,933 meters, usually near 800 meters.

Eastern Atlantic, from Iceland and the Faroe Islands to Spain, and the African coast; in the western Atlantic, records off the Guianas.

rules for the large-eyed rabbitfish

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.

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

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how we calculate

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%.

more about 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.

Family: Chimaeridae · predator

sources and references (2)

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Hydrolagus mirabilis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Hydrolagus mirabilisNames by country and language.