Spotted Ratfish
The spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei) are cartilaginous fishes (same group as sharks and rays).
Appearance
Ratfish have large eyes, buckbill shaped snout, and narrow tail. Their brown or grey bodies are covered with white spots. The females can get up to 1 meter long, but most ratfish are about 1 to 2 feet long. They also have a venomous spine in the front of their dorsal fin that they can use to stab someone grabbing them.
Habitat
Ratfish live off the west coast of North America from Southeastern Alaska to Central Baja. They can be found anywhere from 0 to 3300 feet, but tend to be most common at depths between 98 to 200 feet; however, at night divers often report seeing them in 20 to 60 feet of water. They tend to be found moving slowly over sandy or muddy bottoms hunting for shrimp, clams, worms, sea stars, or crustaceans.
Reproduction
Females produce two eggs in capsules resembling tiny violin-cases that are about 5 inches long. One end of the case is drawn out into a filament that catches on rocks and becomes secured to the seafloor. About one year later the eggs hatch.
