Plownose Chimaeras

Callorhinchus, the plough-nosed chimaeras or elephantfish, are the only living genus in the family Callorhinchidae (sometimes spelled Callorhynchidae). A few extinct genera only known from fossil remains are recognized. Callorhinchus spp. are similar in form and habits to other chimaeras, but are distinguished by the presence of an elongated, flexible, fleshy snout, with a vague resemblance to a ploughshare. They are only found in the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere along the ocean bottom on muddy and sandy substrates. They filter feed, with small shellfish making up the bulk of their diet. The plough-nosed chimaera lays eggs on the ocean floor that hatch at around 8 months. They are currently not a target of conservation efforts; however, they may be susceptible to overfishing and trawling.

Plough-nose chimaeras are the only extant chimaeras that still inhabit relatively shallow neritic habitats, which are thought to have been the ancestral habitats for chimaeriforms up until the beginning of the Cenozoic. All other chimaera groups have since shifted their habitats into deeper waters.