532 Fishery Bulletin 93(3). 1995 



there are no distinguishing external features other these materials were obtained follows the Acknowl- 



than those characters given in the key. A list of the edgment section. Institutional abbreviations are 



materials examined and of the collections where listed as in Leviton, et al. (1985). 



Key to new world hagfishes (Genus Myxine) 



la A 3-cusp multicusp on anterior set, a 2-cusp multicusp on posterior set of cusps 2 



lb A 2-cusp multicusp on both the anterior and posterior sets of cusps 6 



2a Gill pouches 6, rarely 7 3 



2b Gill pouches 5 4 



3a VFF well developed, 3-7 mm high, mounted on thick triangular base extending from the 

 ventral surface; last few prebranchial pores in an uneven line, resembling the letter W; 

 total pores 112-121 M. fernholmi 



3b VFF vestigial, not mounted on triangular fleshy base; last few prebranchial pores in a 



straight line; total pores 103- 104 M. debueni 



4a Anterior unicusps 6-9; total cusps 36-48; total pores 77-92; color light brown, often 



lighter dorsally than ventrally M. mccoskeri 



4b Anterior unicusps more than 9 each side 5 



5a Anterior unicusps 11-13; total cusps 56-58; total pores 92-100; VFF usually low (3-6 mm); 



head and barbels pale M. robinsi 



5b Anterior unicusps 7-13; total cusps 43-56; total pores 80-102; VFF usually prominent, 



averaging 5 mm (1-12 mm); head and barbels usually pale M. circifrons 



6a Gill pouches 7; anterior unicusps 4; posterior unicusps 5-6; total cusps 26-28 M. pequenoi 



6b Gill pouches 6, rarely 7 7 



7a CFF extending forward dorsally 2-3 times tail length; total pores 108-109; VFF low, 



(3-5 mm) M. dorsum 



7b CFF not extending forward dorsally much beyond a vertical above cloacal origin 8 



8a Prominent whitish band on ventral surface; VFF usually well developed 9 



8b No prominent ventral whitish band 10 



9a Ventral whitish band not extending above line of trunk pores, but often extending to face; 



color dark reddish-brown; total cusps 38—46 M. affinis 



9b Ventral whitish band extending above line of trunk pores, often increasing as wide blotches 



between GA and face; body brown to purplish; total cusps 29-38 M. australis 



10a VFF moderately to well developed 11 



10b VFF vestigial, or nearly so 12 



11a Color bluish gray to brownish, head pale; whitish mid-dorsal narrow stripe extending 



forward a variable distance; total cusps 42—48; total pores 101-119 M. mcmillanae 



lib Color pinkish-brown to various shades of purple, often dark; head usually pale; narrow 

 whitish streak of variable length extending along dorsal midline from CFF; total cusps 

 30-49; total pores 89-118 M. limosa 



12a VFF nearly vestigial, 1-3 mm high; color pinkish to bluish; head pale; prebranchial pores 



31-32; trunk pores 61-65; total pores 108-110 M. knappi 



12b VFF vestigial; color brown to purplish-black; prebranchial pores 18-31; trunk pores 58-72; 



total pores 91-116 13 



13a Color light to dark purplish-brown; occasional pale blotches ventrally; total pores 101-109; 



VFF variably vestigial to 8 mm high M. hubbsi 



13b Color dark brown to blackish; no pale blotches ventrally; head only slightly pale; total pores 



111-116; VFF vestigial, intermittently absent M. hubbsoides 



