Additional Records of the American Elephantfish Callorhinchus callorynchus (Chondrichthyes, Holocephali, Chimaeriformes) in Southeastern Brazil

Chimaeras, fish in the order Chimaeriformes, are among the\r\nrarest and least studied fish in the class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish).\r\nPrevious records have indicated that a species of chimaera known as the elephantfish, or cockfish, Callorhinchus callorynchus,\r\nmay be found in marine waters off southeastern Brazil, as far north as the\r\nstate of Sao Paulo. Here we report that C. callorynchus,\r\ncaught with bottom gillnet, was found in\r\nan urban fish market in the city of Rio de Janeiro (~23˚S). This and other\r\nrecords from a variety of places call into question the distribution limits of\r\nthe American elephantfish in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean and whether, at\r\nleast seasonally, this species may often be found as far north as the state of\r\nRio de Janeiro. Because of scientific and conservation interests in the poorly\r\nknown Chimaeriformes, we recommend long-term monitoring of the fish catch in ports along the southern Brazilian\r\ncoast, to better understand the natural history of the intriguing chimeras.