The eel-shaped hagfish is a very unusual creature. It has three hearts, no jaws, no stomach, and no teeth on its tongue.It has the unique ability to be able to tie its body in a knot and then go through that knot to clear its body slime that could block gill openings.

When disturbed, it can produce a large amount of stubborn slime.The released slime accumulates and expands in the surrounding water in response to a threat or attack from predators. This defense mechanism also works against sharks, effectively blocking their gills or suffocating them.

In most countries of the world, hagfish are not eaten very often.However,in Korea, hag fish is a popular food, where it is usually peeled, seasoned with a hot sauce, and grilled over charcoal or fried. It is particularly popular in port cities in the south of the peninsula, such as Busan. Coastal hagfish, found in the Pacific Northwest, is eaten in Japan. Because hagfish slurry binds to large amounts of liquid, even at low temperatures, it has been proposed as an energy-efficient alternative to producing tofu that does not require heating.

Skin

The skin of the witchfish, which is used in a variety of clothing accessories, is often referred to as “eel skin”. It produces a particularly resistant leather, particularly suitable for bags and belts.