Prehistoric fish makes headlines

Brazilian scientists made a sensational discovery.

An unknown kind of fish, which could be easily considered a living fossil, has been found in the deep cavities of the Atlantic ocean, not far away from Rio de Janeiro.

This particular type of fish, which Brazilian scientists named Hydrolagus metallanasi, belongs to the chimera subspecies. The species practically haven't evolved for the last 150 million years.

“Chimaeras belong to the class of Chondrichthyes along with sharks and skates,” informed one of the scientists Jules Soto. “They are the most primitive and can be considered the living fossils, since their predecessors inhabited the planet some 350 million years ago. They witnessed all cataclysms and ploughed the ocean millions of years before the first dinosaurs,” reports RIA “Novosti”.

The 40 cm long fish dwells at great depths, in gigantic sea cavities (up to 700-800 meters). That is why it couldn't have been discovered earlier. Its skin is made up of sensitive nerve endings, which enable the creature to detect even the slightest movement in total darkness. Despite its dwelling place so far beneath the surface, chimera is not blind. She's got big eyes that enable her to see in the darkness.

Another Brazilian scientist of Dutch decent Mark von Roosmalen has made another revolutionary discovery. He was able to find a new kind of wild boar in the thickets of Amazon forests.

The animal is 130 cm long and 30 cm tall. In contrast to his congeners, this Amazon boar has long and thin legs and appears to be slightly thinner than the rest of the wild pigs.