This chimaera swam slowly past the remotely operated vehicle, giving us a good view of the lateral lines running across its head that allow it to detect pressure waves (like our ears). The dotted-looking lines near the fish’s mouth are called “ampullae of Lorenzini” and they can detect perturbations in electrical fields generated by living organisms. This encounter took place at a depth of 1,735 meters (5,962 feet) during Dive 06 of the second Voyage to the Ridge 2022 expedition.
Chimaera
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Voyage to the Ridge 2022. Download larger version (jpg, 1.2 MB).

This chimaera swam slowly past the remotely operated vehicle, giving us a good view of the lateral lines running across its head that allow it to detect pressure waves (like our ears). The dotted-looking lines near the fish’s mouth are called “ampullae of Lorenzini” and they can detect perturbations in electrical fields generated by living organisms. This encounter took place at a depth of 1,735 meters (5,962 feet) during Dive 06 of the second Voyage to the Ridge 2022 expedition.