Hagfishes [Myxiniformes]
Description
Myxiniformes, commonly known as hagfishes, comprise the only order in the class Myxini. These eel-like, jawless marine creatures are known for their unique defensive mechanism of producing copious amounts of slime when threatened. They possess a skull but lack a true vertebral column, instead having a notochord running the length of their body. Hagfishes are scavengers, feeding on dead or dying fish and invertebrates found on the ocean floor. They have poor eyesight and rely on their keen sense of smell and touch to locate food. The skin of hagfishes is smooth and scaleless, and they have multiple pairs of barbels around their mouth and a single nostril on the top of their head. Their reproductive methods are not well understood, but they are believed to be hermaphrodites, possessing both male and female reproductive organs. Hagfishes are found in cold waters around the world, from shallow to deep sea environments.