When a hagfish feels threatened it may exude copious amounts of a milky, fibrous slime from around 100 glands on its vermiform body. This defense mechanism is known to clog the predator’s gills during an attack — forcing the predator to release the hagfish to avoid suffocation. 🪱 | Science Channel

1.4K views · 78 reactions | Happy #HagfishDay! Jawless and boneless, slime-producing hagfish feed off animal carcasses on the seafloor. While this might not be the most appetizing to us, in so doing, hagfish perform an important ecological function, helping to clean and recycle materials on the seafloor. . . So on Hagfish Day, remember that one doesn't have to be pretty to be important. | NOAA Ocean Exploration | Facebook