Eptatretidae

The Eptatretidae family is one of two families within the superclass Agnatha, which also includes lampreys. Hagfish are eel-like, scaleless marine vertebrates with a cartilaginous skeleton, no jaws or bones, and a round or slit-like mouth with horny teeth. They possess poorly developed eyes, a single nostril, and multiple pairs of gills that open separately in Eptatretidae. Hagfish inhabit cold seawater, often living buried in soft bottoms and feeding on invertebrates and dead fish. They are known for secreting copious amounts of slime to deter predators.1