Head to head
Chimaera vs Frilled Shark
The chimaera and frilled shark are both extremely ancient cartilaginous fish lineages, but their teeth, body shape, and reproduction differ sharply.
| Chimaera | Frilled Shark | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Chimaeriformes | Chlamydoselachus anguineus |
| Teeth | Fused tooth plates | About 300 needle-like, three-pointed teeth |
| Body shape | Tapering tail, ratfish-like | Eel-like |
| Lineage age | Split from sharks ~400 million years ago | Barely changed for ~80 million years |
| Gestation period | Not specifically documented | Estimated up to 3.5 years |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Unknown | Unknown |
| Habitat | Ocean | Ocean |
Chimaera vs Frilled Shark: common questions
Are the chimaera and frilled shark both considered living fossils?
Yes, both are often described this way, with the chimaera representing a lineage that split from sharks around 400 million years ago and the frilled shark remaining barely changed for roughly 80 million years.
How do the teeth of the chimaera and frilled shark differ?
The chimaera has flattened, fused tooth plates suited to crushing hard-shelled prey, while the frilled shark has around 300 needle-like, three-pointed teeth arranged to trap soft-bodied prey such as squid.
Which species has the longer pregnancy, the chimaera or the frilled shark?
The frilled shark has a documented gestation period estimated at up to three and a half years, one of the longest of any vertebrate, a specific record not established for the chimaera.