Myxini (hagfishes) >
Myxiniformes (Hagfishes) >
Myxinidae (Hagfishes) > Eptatretinae
Etymology: Eptatretus: hepta (Gr.), seven; tretos (Gr.), perforated (i.e., with holes), referring to seven gill apertures on what would later be described as Homea banksii (=E. cirrhatus) [range within genus is 6-14 pairs of gill apertures]. (See ETYFish); ancon: Named for the research vessel B/I Ancon, from which holotype was captured. (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; non-migratory; depth range ? - 488 m (Ref. 41105). Deep-water
Western Central Atlantic: off La Punta de los Remedios, Caribbean Sea.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 22.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 41105)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
External aperture of its last efferent gill duct and pharyngocutaneous duct separated. Gill apertures nonlinear and crowded. Lengths of efferent gill ducts unequal with anterior ones much longer with length of first about 3 times that of last. Gill apertures 6. Slime pores: prebranchial 26; branchial 0; trunk 45; tail 9; total 80. Caudal and ventral finfold not well developed. Head, body, tail and finfold uniformly light brown in alcohol; eyespots faint, gill aperture margins not pale. Ventral aorta bifurcated between the fourth and fifth gill pouches (Ref. 41105).
Iteroparous (Ref. 94918).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Iteroparous (Ref. 94918). Copulatory organ absent. The gonads of hagfishes are situated in the peritoneal cavity. The ovary is found in the anterior portion of the gonad, and the testis is found in the posterior part. The animal becomes female if the cranial part of the gonad develops or male if the caudal part undergoes differentiation. If none develops, then the animal becomes sterile. If both anterior and posterior parts develop, then the animal becomes a functional hermaphrodite. However, hermaphroditism being characterised as functional needs to be validated by more reproduction studies (Ref. 51361 ).
Mok, H.-K., L.M. Saavedra-Diaz and A.P. Acero, 2001. Two new species of Eptatretus and Quadratus (Myxinidae, Myxiniformes) from the Caribbean Coast of Colombia. Copeia 2001(4):1026-1033. (Ref. 41105)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00204 (0.00092 - 0.00452), b=2.93 (2.73 - 3.13), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.9 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (12 of 100).
