Black Hagfish

Gill pouches (GP) 6 pairs with gill apertures closely spaced in a fairly straight line; 1-2 GP at end of dental muscle. Ventral aorta splitting at about GP 5-6. Fused cusps 3/3. Total cusps 47-52. Prebranchial slime pores 12-19. Total pores 71-78. Eyespots faint or absent. Ventral finfold low to vestigial (Ref. 51420).

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 ).

Attains over 50 cm TL (Ref. 559).

fisheries: commercial