Transcript Agnatha - Nutley Public Schools

Phylum:
Chordata
“possessing a
notocord”
CLASS AGNATHA
General Characteristics
•Most primitive
•Body elongated and
cylindrical (eel-like)
•Cartilage skeleton
•Lack paired fins & scales of most fishes
•Mucous covered body
•Lack jaws –
•Feed by suction with aid of round, muscular mouth,
rows of teeth, and rasping tongue
TYPES
Hagfish (slime eels) (64 sp.)
•Scavengers – bore into prey
& eat from inside out;
Can go months without food
•Almost blind; can be up to 2.5 ft ; tentacles
around mouth
•Cold marine water; live in tunnels in muddy bottoms
•Depths 25 – 1000 m
Hagfish Defenses
•Create huge amounts of slimy mucus
•Can tie into knots
Hagfish Uses
•Food in Korea, Japan
•Skin makes leather (often called eel)
•Slime is sugar & protein =
Lamprey (40 sp)
•Parasitic – attach to fish &
suck blood or eat bottom
invertebrates
•Marine & freshwater; all breed in
freshwater
•Temperate regions
Lamprey Uses
•Food – Southwestern Europe $25 pound
Lamprey as Invasive
•N.A. Great Lakes
•Prey on trout