Black hagfish are strictly marine, and are found in the Eastern Pacific from southeastern Alaska to central Baja California, and Mexico.

In many parts of the world, including the US, hagfish skin is used for clothing, belts, or other accessories.

[11] Recent studies have shown that hagfish slime has similar properties of spider silk, strong and light.

If hagfish slime could be replicated in laboratories it could replace artificial materials, like nylon, in women's stockings and workout pants.

[11] The adjacent image shows the various stages of egg development: Black hagfish produce copious amounts of slime as a defense mechanism.

Deep-sea diving equipment is known to have been fouled by large amounts of hagfish slime near the bottom of the ocean, extruded by the eel-like fish when they are alarmed.

The slime comprises mature thread cells, up to 10 cm (4 in) long that are coiled and thread-like.