Sea Lamprey by T. Lawrence. Click here for original.
Range
Mediterranian, North Atlantic, United Kingdom, Ireland,The Great Lakes.
Habitat
Cool to temperate marine and fresh waters.
Morphology
Lampreys have many interesting characteristics, such as:
- A cartilaginous skeleton
- A single nostril on the dorsal side of head as shown in the picture which is a trait also found in other jawless fish fossils
- Seven gill slits contained in pouches on each side of the head
- A tongue and disc-shaped mouth that has many teeth which acts as a sort of suction cup. Mouth is supported by a ring of cartilage.
- One or two dorsal fins and no paired fins
Ecology
As ammocoete larvae (named because of their sand and mud burrowing lifestyle), they feed on plankton and algae. Once they reach adulthood, however, they feed on a variety of fish by using its suction mouth to attach onto a fish and create a hole with its tongue. Some species may be parasites, though most of them aren't. Some species may also be anadromous. This means, like salmon, the adults come from the sea to reproduce in freshwater, the larvae spend years growing and go out to sea to mature, and then come back to freshwater to begin the cycle again.
Conservation Issues
No concern at all. In fact, lampreys were actually a nuisance at one point. They were an invasive species to the North American Great Lakes and had a massive impact to the native populations living there. Now, methods to control the lampreys are in effect.