The mesopelagic zone, in oceanography, refers to marine waters and their resources, located between 200 and 1000 meters deep, serving as a link between the photic epipelagic zone and the aphotic bathypelagic zone. It is an area where very little light reaches, but it is insufficient for photosynthetic activity. Monthly samplings were carried out between January 2025 and January 2026, using traps and longlines as capture methods. A total of six hagfish specimens, Eptatretus multidens, were captured at depths ranging from 228 to 574 meters. This species comprises organisms with primitive characteristics, being jawless and cartilaginous, ranking among the first fish that appeared on the planet. Its discovery in Venezuela not only represents an update to the knowledge of the country's biodiversity but also a tool to better understand the evolutionary history of fish. In this sense, the relevance of the present study and the need to extend its application to other areas of Venezuelan territorial waters is highlighted.
