Description

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Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0. No true fins - one dorsal finfold, far back, median, very low, continuous with caudal; caudal broad, rounded; ventral finfold very low, origin somewhat posterior to last gill pore, extending to anus (Ref. 6885). Dark brown, tan, gray, or brownish red, often tinted with blue or purple, never black, lighter ventrally, rarely with large patches of white; preserved specimens light brown (Ref. 6885).

Common Names

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Pacifisk slimål , Danish , Denmark

California hagfish , English , Alaska

Hag-fish , English , Canada

Lamperina , English , Alaska

Pacific hagfish , English , Canada

Pacific hagfish , English , USA

Pacific hagfish , English , Alaska

Pacific hagfish , English , Global

Stouti imisuu , Estonian , Estonia

Myxine brune , French , Canada

Pazifischer Inger , German , Germany

太平洋粘盲鰻 , Mandarin Chinese , China

太平洋粘盲鳗 , Mandarin Chinese , China

Miksina , Russian , Russia

Bruja pintada , Spanish , USA

Mixinido del Pacifico , Spanish , Mexico

Taxonomic Hierarchy

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Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Myxini

Order: Myxiniformes

Family: Myxinidae

Genus: Eptatretus

Species: Eptatretus stoutii (Lockington, 1878)

Climate Zone

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Temperate

Location

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Eastern Pacific: southeastern Alaska to Bahia San Pablo, central Baja California, Mexico.

Biology

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Inhabits fine silt and clay bottoms (Ref. 6885). Enters large fishes by way of the mouth and anus and feed on its viscera and muscles (Ref. 6885). May greatly diminish catches taken with fixed gears (Ref. 6885). Produces mucilaginous slime when harassed (Ref. 6885). Probably exhibits hermaphroditism (Ref. 56947). Due to its primitive metabolism it is collected for research purposes (Ref. 6885). TBK: demerspelag.

Habitat

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demersal

Conservation Status

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Data deficient

Threat to Humans

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Harmless