Family: |
Myxinidae (Hagfishes), subfamily: Myxininae |
Max. size: |
49.8 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
Environment: |
bathydemersal; marine; depth range 752 - 1556 m |
Distribution: |
North Atlantic: off West Greenland, in the eastern Davis Strait. Denmark Strait, Reykjanes Ridge, and South East of Iceland. Occurs sympatrically with Myxine glutinosa, although with a rather limited overlap in vertical distribution (772-1556 vs. 64-782) and no documented capture of both species in the same haul or trap exists. |
Diagnosis: |
Diagnosis: Color grayish brown with whitish head, the white extending posteriorly in a mid-ventral stripe of varying length; surrounding slime pores, PCD, gill aperture, cloaca, CFF, and VFF margins whitish. Two paired, pointed, or comb-shaped, bilaterally symmetrical nasal-sinus papillae with 2-5 distal fringes and 2 cusps in each row fused at their bases. Additional cusps in anterior rows 7-9 and posterior rows 8-10; total cusps 38-44. Pairs of gill pouches 6. Slime pores: prebranchial 28-37; trunk 65-74; tail 11-15; total 107-121. Body slender, depth over cloaca 2.9-4.3% TL; ventral finfold originates within anterior 10% of trunk; caudal finfold termination dorsally above cloaca to posterior 7% of trunk (Ref. 54824). |
Biology: |
Occurs in muddy bottoms. Eggs taken from a damaged specimen in various stages of maturation , elliptical up to 23.6 X 8.5 mm; all eggs are in mesenteries and no anchor filaments were found (Ref. 54824). |
IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 11 December 2009 Ref. (130435)
|
Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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