Eptatretus wandoensis Song & Kim, 2020
5-gilled white mid-dorsal line hagfish

Family:  Myxinidae (Hagfishes), subfamily: Eptatretinae
Max. size:  29.2 cm TL (female)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 60 - 80 m
Distribution:  Northwest Pacific: Sea of Korea / Sea of Japan / East Sea.
Diagnosis:  This species is distinguished by the following characters: 5 pairs of gill apertures; conspicuous eyespots; fused cusps 3/2, with total cusps, 40-43; gill pouch (GP) one at end of dental muscle; total slime pores 74-82 (prebranchial 14-18; branchial 4; trunk 46-49; tail 9-11); branchial length 5.2%-6.2% of TL; pharyngocutaneous duct confluent with the last gill aperture; ventral artery splitting at ca. 3-4 GP. Colour when fresh: body uniformly dark brown or purplish dorsally and white ventrally; white mid-dorsal line distinct, beginning from upper region of the first prebranchial slime pore to around the tail (Ref. 122037).
Biology:  A female specimen (29.0 cm TL) was found with approximately 20 developing eggs, without terminal anchor filaments or hooks, and each egg measures approximately 4-7 mm in diameter and 10-12 mm in length (Ref. 122037).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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