Myxiniformes (Noun)
Meaning
Hagfishes as distinguished from lampreys.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- Myxiniformes, a class of eel-like jawless fish, are distinguished from lampreys by the presence of a velum and the lack of a dorsal fin.
- Hagfishes belong to the group Myxiniformes, characterized by their slimy skin and suction cup-like mouths.
- In the class Myxiniformes, hagfishes exhibit unique burrowing abilities unlike lampreys, which rely on their suction disks for vertebrate attachment.
- The order Myxiniformes, which includes modern hagfishes, consists of fish that undergo an entirely aquatic life cycle unlike lampreys, which have both aquatic and benthic phases.
- In contrast to lampreys, which utilize their sharp, raspy tongues to scrape prey, hagfishes belonging to the class Myxiniformes do not have tongues or develop sucker areas characteristic of lampreys.