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Lamprey         Hagfish




Page produced by Priyanka Tandon


  • The Agnatha class is in the Chordata phylum. The two main types of fish in the Agnatha class are lamprey and hagfish. The word Agnatha comes from the Greek word, meaning "not" and gnathos meaning "jaw."


  • Charateristics: Cartilaginous skeleton, scaleless skin, anticoagulating saliva, are jawless, breathe with gills


  • Habitat: Both fresh water and salt water. Some are anadromes, living in both fresh water and salt water at different times in their life.


  • Interesting Facts:The hagfish has no eyes, in contrast to its counterpart lamprey, who has well-developed eyes.


    • Lamprey
    Hagfish
  • Did You Know: Hagfish skins are in high demand in Korea for boots, hangbags, and other similar products. Washington Sea Grant, a fishery, is in collaboration with other groups to start and maintain a hagfish fishery in the Gulf of Maine, where high quality hagfish skins can be found. For more to go Sea Grant News


    • Lampery mouthLinks:

     An Article About Hagfish

    Sea Lamprey As A Delicacy?

    More Info. on lamprey

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sea Lamprey Management Program



    Sites that contributed to this page:

    Wildlife+Conservation

    Hagfish: The Evolution of Defense

    Hagfish

    Agnathans

    Aquaria Central

    Lampreys
    Curator: Beth Jewell, beth.jewell@fcps.edu
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