Shen's Hagfish

📖 Overview

Shen's Hagfish (Eptatretus sheni) is a ray-finned fish of the family Myxinidae. It inhabits marine (saltwater) waters in deep-water environments. This species can reach a maximum total length of 43 cm. It occurs at depths between 200 and 800 metres. With a trophic level of 4.1, it is a mid-level predator. It is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

6 pairs gill pouches and gill apertures; gill apertures usually closely spaced in a straight line, but never crowded together; fused unicuspid teeth 3/3; dental formula: 11 + 3/3 + 10; no whitish mid-dorsal stripe; eye spots prominent.: eel-like.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Shen's Hagfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Shen's Hagfish is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

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 .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; bathydemersal; non-migratory; depth range 200 - 800 m . Deep-water Northwest Pacific: Taiwan.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 2 records indexed .

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