Biphasic burrowing in Atlantic hagfish (Myxine limosa)

Myxine limosa is a burrowing species of hagfish that occurs in the western north Atlantic in areas with muddy substrate and at depths generally greater than 100 meters. Burrowing of M. limosa has been observed from submersibles, but little is known about the behavior of these animals within the substrate or the biomechanical mechanisms involved. Here we investigated burrowing in M. limosa by observing individuals as they burrowed through transparent gelatin. A photoelastic setup using crossed polarizers allowed us to visualize stress development in the gelatin as the hagfish moved through it. We found that M. limosa created U-shaped burrows in gelatin using a stereotyped, two-phase burrowing behavior. In the first (“Thrash”) phase, hagfish drove their head and their anterior body into the substrate using vigorous sinusoidal swimming movements, with their head moving side-to-side. In the second (“Wriggle”) phase, swimming movements ceased, with propulsion coming exclusively from the ante..., , , # Biphasic burrowing in Atlantic hagfish (Myxine limosa)

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.np5hqc028](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.np5hqc028)

Data for paper on burrowing biomechanics of Atlantic hagfish (Myxine limosa)

## Description of the data and file structure

**Worksheet: Tables 1 & 2**

Trial Name – Name for each burrowing video used in the study (includes the date recorded)

Chamber – indicates which of the three sizes of chambers were used during this recording (small, medium, large).

Polarizing – Some trials were conducted using a photoelastic setup (crossed polarizers on either side of the chamber, with illumination from behind). This column indicates if polarizing films were used.

Time when tail stops (H:MM:SS) – Time on recording when the Hagfish stopped tail thrashing while burrowing (when the Hagfish transitioned from phase 1 to phase 2).

Phase1Duration (H:MM:SS) – Duration of the Phase 1 calculated as (Time when tail stops) – (Burrow Start Time).

Phase 1 Duratio...