Hellbent on the Pacific Hagfish
Pacific hagfish, or California hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii) are one of the most well-known members of the hagfish family. They commonly seen on the ocean floor of the Pacific Ocean, at depths of anywhere between 16–966 metres (52–3,169 ft). They generally prefer muddy substrate, but may also be found on rocky outcroppings with plenty of crevices and caves. Because of their extremely low metabolism, they are also capable of surviving in zero-oxygen environments for several hours.
Like other hagfish, the Pacific hagfish has a long, eel-like body. In fact, hagfish are the only living animals that have a skull but no vertebrae. They also lack jaws, and the perpetually-open mouth is surrounded by a number of barbels. The skin is smooth, loose, and usually purple, pink, or grey. E. stoutii can reach up to 63 cm (25 in) in length; females are typically larger than males. They have very small, rudimentary eyes, and prominent nostrils.
Because they lack fully functioning eyes, California hagfish rely on a combination of smell and taste via a series of Schreiner organs along the sides of the body to detect their prey. They feed opportunistically on polychete worms, eggs, and carrion. Their primary predators are harbor seals, sablefish, and humans, which they avoid by producing large amounts of slime and tying themselves in knots.
There is little information on hagfish reproduction. Adults are thought to transition between sexes depending on the local ratio of males to females; adults with both sets of reproductive organs have also been recorded. They tend to reproduce every 2-3 years, when females lay 20-30 eggs. After hatching, the juveniles are fully independent, and become mature when they reach 42 cm (17 in) in length.
Conservation status: According to the IUCN, the Pacific hagfish is Data Deficient. Due to its habitat, there is not enough information on the species to determine population size or trends. However, they are increasingly harvested by fisheries for human consumption, which is a concern given the low reproductive rate
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