hagfish; slime eel
A jawless, eel-like marine fish known for producing copious slime. The Japanese name literally means 'blind eel'. The species Myxine garmani is a common representative in Japanese waters.
Hagfish eat dead fish on the ocean floor.
I saw a hagfish exhibit at the aquarium.
Katakana spelling is standard for this animal name; usually written in kana.
Rarely used kanji form; the characters mean 'blind eel'.
Compound of 盲 (mekura, 'blind') + 鰻 (unagi, 'eel'), referring to the hagfish's reduced eyes and eel-like body. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the name is descriptive.