Hagfish – Jawless And Boneless Fish
Hagfish (Photo Credit: NOAA Photo Library / CC BY 2.0)
Hagfish also known as Hyperotreti is a marine fish. They are the only known living animals that have a skull but no vertebral column. Hagfish are jawless and are living fossils. The only known fossil hagfish from 300 million years ago, looks very much like a modern hagfish.
Hagfish Under The Rock (Photo Credit: Stan Shebs / CC BY-SA 3.0)
Hagfish about 0.5 m in length. Hagfish have elongated, eel-like bodies and paddle-like tails. The skin is naked and covers the body like a loosely fitting sock. Colors depend on the species, ranging from pink to blue-grey. Hagfish mostly feed on dead and dying creatures on the sea floor.
Hagfish (Photo Credit: Ryan Somma / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Hagfish can go months without eating. Hagfish have the ability to absorb dissolved organic matter across the skin and gill. Hagfish skin used in a variety of clothing accessories, is usually referred to as eel skin. It produces a particularly durable leather, especially suitable for wallets and belts.
Hagfish (Photo Credit: NOAA Photo Library / CC BY 2.0)
