Lesson 67: Observing Hagfish

          Hagfish are long, skinny fish that look like eels. They are also called “slime eels”, because they produce thick mucus when they are touched or attacked. They do not have jaws, teeth, or gills, but they have mouthparts that move horizontally and have sharp projections that rip up their prey. An interesting fact is that they make wallets and belts out of hagfish skin. The slime of a hagfish can actually suffocate whatever is attacking it by clogging its mouth and gills. If I found a hagfish, I would put on gloves and tough the hagfish so it would make slime. Then I would put the slime in a bag, so I could examine and study it.