Why can hagfish produce slime?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Defense by clogging predator gills
Coating skin from sunlight — Wrong. Hagfish live in deep, dark ocean where sunlight doesn't reach. Slime is a defense mechanism, not sunscreen.
Trapping prey in sticky goo — Wrong. Hagfish are scavengers that burrow into dead animals to eat from inside. They don't trap live prey with slime—it's defense.
Defense by clogging predator gills ✓ — Correct! When attacked, hagfish release tiny amounts of slime proteins that expand with water into GALLONS of sticky, fibrous goo within seconds. This clogs predator gills, forcing them to retreat. The slime is so effective that even sharks give up! Hagfish can tie themselves in knots to scrape off their own slime.
Go deeper: Hagfish
Play today's quiz — new questions dailyMore Marine Life questions
- When a cold Arctic stream turns orange and acidic with dissolved metals after permafrost thaw, which fish hazard does that chemistry point to first?
- How do platypuses and Guiana dolphins use their electric sense to find hidden prey?
- Why does a nesting sea turtle release fluid from around its eyes while it is on the beach?
- Which organism produces the majority of Earth's oxygen?
- Why do sea anemones wave tentacles?
- Why do swordfish have long bills?