Myxine mcmillanae, the Caribbean hagfish, is a species of hagfish.[1] It is a scaleless, eel-like fish found in Caribbean waters that feeds off material from the surface that drifts down. It is rarely seen as it lives in very deep water from 2,300-4,950 ft (700-1,500 m) and likes to burrow into the mud. Their bodies are grey with contrasting white heads. They have seven internal gills connected to a single opening on each side of the body.
| Caribbean hagfish | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Myxini |
| Order: | Myxiniformes |
| Family: | Myxinidae |
| Genus: | Myxine |
| Species: | M. mcmillanae
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| Binomial name | |
| Myxine mcmillanae Hensley, 1991
| |
Etymology
editThe hagfish is named in honor of marine biologist Charmion B. McMillan (b. 1925), of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, for her contributions to the science of hagfish.[2]
References
edit- ^ McEachran, J.; Fechhelm, J.D. (1998). Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, Vol. 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes. Austin: University of Texas Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-292-75206-1. OCLC 38468784. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (22 September 2018). "Family MYXINIDAE Rafinesque 1815 (Hagfishes)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- Smith, C. Lavett (1997). National Audubon Society Field Guide to Tropical Marine Fishes. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 224. ISBN 0-679-44601-X.
- "Myxine mcmillanae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 16 February 2008.
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