Kinematics and hydrodynamics of undulatory locomotion in hagfishes (Myxinidae) and hagfish-like robotic models

Hagfishes have both intrigued and confused biologists since Linnaeus first mistakenly classified one as an "intestinal worm." Modern hagfishes (Myxinidae) are elongate, marine fishes often described by what they lack: jaws, scales, paired fins, or a vertebral column. Accompanying this reduced morphology was a long-held view that hagfish are lazy animals that mostly lay about on the ocean floor, but more recent research has revealed them to be active hunters and scavengers in the benthic community. Routine swimming is a requisite part of these activities, yet knowledge of how these exceptionally flexible fishes swim is limited. Here, I use an integrative experimental approach to provide a more comprehensive, quantitative understanding of locomotory mechanisms in hagfishes.