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A hagfish at Salmon Bay, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica?

A hagfish at Salmon Bay, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica? While installing some experiments in the extremely dark conditions at Salmon Bay in the extreme south-western part of McMurdo Sound in December 1988, a white patch was observed and photographed, and in the dark, it was assumed to be another example of the nermertean Parborlasia corrugatus (McIntosh, 1876) responding to the release of sperm from Laternula elliptica (King & Broderip, 1831) and foraging on the clam (Dayton et al. unpublished data). Lacking underwater lights on that dive, the animal was not observed, and only recently the photograph was retrieved and it was realized that the animal was not a nemertean, but looked like a hagfish (Fig. 1). The basis of this diagnosis was the presence of a dorsal fin, myomeres and mucus pores. The idea was discounted, as hagfish have never been observed in the high Antarctic despite over a century of extensive use of seal and fish baited traps that surely would have attracted hagfish; however, after consulting several leading fish (Phil Hastings, Joe Eastman and Bo Fernholm) and invertebrate (Greg Rouse, Nick Holland, Rick Brusca and Julian Gutt) experts in late 2017, there was a consensus that the animal must be a hagfish.Fig. 1Possible hagfish at 30 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Antarctic Science Cambridge University Press

A hagfish at Salmon Bay, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica?

Antarctic Science , Volume 30 (4): 2 – Jun 11, 2018
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Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2018 
ISSN
0954-1020
eISSN
1365-2079
DOI
10.1017/S0954102018000202
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

While installing some experiments in the extremely dark conditions at Salmon Bay in the extreme south-western part of McMurdo Sound in December 1988, a white patch was observed and photographed, and in the dark, it was assumed to be another example of the nermertean Parborlasia corrugatus (McIntosh, 1876) responding to the release of sperm from Laternula elliptica (King & Broderip, 1831) and foraging on the clam (Dayton et al. unpublished data). Lacking underwater lights on that dive, the animal was not observed, and only recently the photograph was retrieved and it was realized that the animal was not a nemertean, but looked like a hagfish (Fig. 1). The basis of this diagnosis was the presence of a dorsal fin, myomeres and mucus pores. The idea was discounted, as hagfish have never been observed in the high Antarctic despite over a century of extensive use of seal and fish baited traps that surely would have attracted hagfish; however, after consulting several leading fish (Phil Hastings, Joe Eastman and Bo Fernholm) and invertebrate (Greg Rouse, Nick Holland, Rick Brusca and Julian Gutt) experts in late 2017, there was a consensus that the animal must be a hagfish.Fig. 1Possible hagfish at 30

Journal

Antarctic Science – Cambridge University Press

Published: Jun 11, 2018

References

  • Hagfish predatory behavior and slime defence mechanism
  • Review and phylogeny of the New Zealand hagfishes (Myxiniformes: Myxinidae), with a description of three new species