Hagfish are sometimes called "slime eels." They are bottom-dwelling fish found in ocean waters throughout the world. In some parts of the world, they support a thriving commercial fishery, their hide being used for leather goods. When feeding, hagfish extend an apparatus composed of two structures called the dental plates. they use these plates to grasp prey. As the plates are withdrawn into the mouth, they close tightly and tear away the flesh of the prey. Hagfish also possess slime glands positioned along their body that can produce large amounts of a milky gelatinous fluid when disturbed. The most important function of this slime is for protection. When seized, so much slime is produced that it coats the gills of the predatory fish and can actually cause it to suffocate.
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There are 43 species of lamprey. Of them all, only nine are found in the ocean. They spend their life feeding on other fish. They suck out tissues and fluids of their prey. Humans have often used lamprey for food, even going back to Roman times. They are still commonly consumed in southwestern Europe and Asia.
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