This species can be identified by its lack of nasal-sinus papillae, five pairs of gill pouches, and elongated tubular nostril.

It inhabits cold-water coral reefs dominated primarily by Lophelia, as referenced in its specific epithet.

The two other species of hagfish found with this elongated nostril also find protection in their environment without burrowing into the ground.

Due to the large geographic distance between these species, it is likely that they evolved this trait convergently, each adapting to their own specific environments.

[6] The elongated nostrils provide the Lophelia hagfish with a similarly advanced sense of smell, aiding in their ability to find food in the reefs where they reside.

Sand and gravel mining off the coast of the Carolinas can have detrimental effects on the coral populations that these fish use as a habitat.

Trawling for shrimp is very common off the coast of the Carolinas, and this practice can quickly and permanently destroy the coral reefs these fish need to survive.