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.
Stan Shebs /CC BY-SA 3.0 | Hagfish Under The Rock
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.
Ryan Somma /CC BY-SA 2.0 | Hagfish
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.
NOAA Photo Library /CC BY 2.0 | Hagfish
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