Photo courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationIt's the third Wednesday in October, so it must be ... Hagfish Day!
Also known as slime eels, hagfish are rather unattractive creatures that have remained basically unchanged since the Paleozoic era.
Slime glands on each side of the hagfish’s body produce a protein-based secretion that combines with water to make a thick “goo” – the hagfish’s best defense against predators. The slime can be sloughed off by sneezing—clearing the slime from the sinus cavities.
Hagfish live in deep, muddy substrate and feed on dead and dying fish and marine mammals. They are hearty fish that can live up to seven months without eating. Sound tasty? Hagfish are used as food in some countries and are the target of a commercial fishery here in California. Between 2007-2013, the average yearly landing take of hagfish was 1,385,260.
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