Lamprey
The mouth of a Sea Lamprey, showing teeth and tongue
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Cephalaspidomorphi Order: Petromyzontiformes Family: Petromyzontidae
Subfamilies
Geotriinae Mordaciinae Petromyzontinae Original location: http://www. ... Subfamilies Geotriinae Mordaciinae Petromyzontinae A lamprey is a type of fish with a toothed, funnel-like, jawless sucking mouth, with which most species bore into the flesh of other fishes to suck their blood. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Subregnum Bilateria  Acoelomorpha  Orthonectida  Rhombozoa  Myxozoa  Superphylum Deuterostomia     Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascideiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with...

A lamprey is a jawless fish with a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth, with which most species bore into the flesh of other fishes to suck their blood. In zoology, lampreys are not considered to be true fish because of their vastly different morphology and physiology. Groups Conodonta Hyperoartia Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Pteraspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Thelodonti Anaspida Cephalaspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Galeaspida Pituriaspida Osteostraci Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) Placodermi Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii Osteichthyes (bony fish) Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) A fish is a poikilothermic (cold-blooded)* water-dwelling... An Anopheles stephensi mosquito obtaining a blood meal from a human host through its pointed proboscis. ... Zoology (Greek zoon = animal and logos = word) is the biological discipline which involves the study of animals. ... Groups Conodonta Hyperoartia Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Pteraspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Thelodonti Anaspida Cephalaspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Galeaspida Pituriaspida Osteostraci Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) Placodermi Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii Osteichthyes (bony fish) Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) A fish is a poikilothermic (cold-blooded)* water-dwelling...

Physical description

Lampreys live mostly in coastal and fresh waters, although at least one species, Geotria australis, probably travels significant distances in the open ocean, as is evidenced by the lack of reproductive isolation between Australian and New Zealand populations, and the capture of a specimen in the Southern Ocean between Australia and Antarctica. They are found in most temperate regions except Africa. Their larvae have a low tolerance for high water temperatures, which is probably the reason that they are not found in the tropics. Outwardly resembling eels in that they have no scales, an adult lamprey can range anywhere from 5 to 40 inches (13 to 100 centimetres) long. Lampreys have one or two dorsal fins, large eyes, one nostril on the top of their head, and seven gills on each side. A lamprey has cartilage instead of bones and is on the borderline between vertebrates and invertebrates. Africa is the worlds second-largest continent and 3rd most populous. ... Families Suborder Anguilloidei Anguillidae (freshwater eels) Heterenchelyidae Moringuidae (worm eels) Xenocongridae (false morays) Muraenidae (moray eels) Myrocongridae Suborder Nemichthyoidei Nemichthyidae (snipe eels) Serrivomeridae (sawtooth snipe eels) Cyemidae (bobtail snipe eels) Suborder Congroidei Congridae (congers) Muraenesocidae (conger pikes) Nettastomatidae (witch eels) Nessorhamphidae (duckbilled eels) Derichthyidae (neck eels) Ophichthidae (snake eels) Macrocephenchelyidae... In most biological nomenclature, a scale (Greek lepid) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animals skin to provide protection. ... Dorsal Fin of the Orca A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of fishes, whales, dolphins and porpoises. ... In aquatic organisms, gills are a respiratory organ for the extraction of oxygen from water and for the excretion of carbon dioxide. ... Cartilage is a type of dense connective tissue. ... Grays illustration of a human femur, a typically recognized bone. ... Typical classes Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Placodermi - extinct Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii - extinct Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) Amphibia (amphibians) Reptilia (reptiles) Aves (birds) Mammalia (mammals) Vertebrata is a subphylum of chordates, specifically, those with backbones or spinal columns. ... Invertebrate is a term coined by Chevalier de Lamarck to describe any animal without a backbone or vertebra, like insects, squids and worms. ...

Basic external anatomy of the Lamprey

Lampreys begin life as burrowing freshwater larvae (ammocoetes). At this stage, they are toothless, have rudimentary eyes, and feed on microorganisms. This larval stage can last five to seven years and hence was originally thought to be an independent organism. After these five to seven years, they transform into adults in a metamorphosis which is at least as radical as that seen in amphibians, and which involves a radical rearrangement of internal organs, development of eyes and transformation from a mud-dwelling filter feeder into an efficient swimming predator, which typically moves into the sea to begin a predatory/parasitic life, attaching to a fish by their mouths and feeding on the blood and tissues of the host. In most species this phase lasts about 18 months. Whether lampreys are predators or parasites is a blurred question. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3816x2368, 622 KB) This is an illustration of the general anatomy of a Lamprey and how it holds itself to a fish. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3816x2368, 622 KB) This is an illustration of the general anatomy of a Lamprey and how it holds itself to a fish. ... A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... A microorganism or microbe is an organism that is so small that it is microscopic (invisible to the naked eye). ... In biology and ecology, an organism (in Greek organon = instrument) is an assembly of molecules that influence each other in such a way that they function as a more or less stable whole and have properties of life. ... Orders Subclass Labyrinthodontia - extinct Subclass Lepospondyli - extinct Subclass Lissamphibia   Anura   Caudata   Gymnophiona Amphibians (class Amphibia) are a group of animals that include all tetrapods (four-legged vertebrates) that do not have amniotic eggs. ... A parasite is an organism that lives in or on the living tissue of a host organism at the expense of that host. ...

Not all lampreys can be found in the sea. Some lampreys are landlocked and remain in fresh water, and some of these stop feeding altogether as soon as they have left the larval stage. The landlocked species are usually rather small.

To reproduce, lampreys return to fresh water (if they left it), build a nest, then spawn, that is, lay their eggs or excrete their semen, and then invariably die. In Geotria australis, the time between ceasing to feed at sea and spawning can be up to 18 months long—surely one of the most remarkable endurance events in the animal kingdom.

Recent studies reported in Nature suggest that lampreys have evolved a unique type of immune system with parts that are unrelated to the antibodies found in mammals. They also have a very high tolerance to iron overload, and have evolved biochemical defenses to detoxify this metal. Nature is one of the oldest and most reputable general-purpose scientific journals, first published on November 4, 1869. ... The immune system is the organ system that protects an organism from outside biological influences. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands...

Taxonomy

The taxonomy presented here is that given by Fisher, 1994. The lampreys comprise an entire class Cephalaspidomorphi, containing a single order Petromyzontiformes and family Petromyzontidae. 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

Within this family, there are 40 recorded species in 9 genera and 3 subfamilies:

• Subfamily Geotriianae
  • Genus Geotria
    • Geotria australis (Gray,1851)
• Subfamily Mordaciinae
  • Genus Mordacia
    • Mordacia lapicida (Gray, 1851)
    • Mordacia mordax (Richardson, 1846)
    • Mordacia praecox (Potter, 1968)
• Subfamily Petromyzontinae
  • Genus Caspiomyzon
    • Caspiomyzon wagneri (Kessler, 1870)
  • Genus Eudontomyzon
    • Eudontomyzon danfordi (Regan, 1911)
    • Eudontomyzon hellenicus (Vladykov, Renaud, Kott and Economidis, 1982)
    • Eudontomyzon mariae (Berg, 1931)
    • Eudontomyzon morii (Berg, 1931)
    • Eudontomyzon stankokaramani (Karaman, 1974)
    • Eudontomyzon vladykovi (Oliva and Zanandrea, 1959)
  • Genus Ichthyomyzon
    • Ichthyomyzon bdellium (Jordan, 1885) - Ohio Lamprey
    • Ichthyomyzon castaneus Girard, 1858 - Chestnut Lamprey
    • Ichthyomyzon fossor (Reighard and Cummins, 1916) - Northern Brook Lamprey
    • Ichthyomyzon gagei (Hubbs and Trautman, 1937) - Southern Brook Lamprey
    • Ichthyomyzon greeleyi (Hubbs and Trautman, 1937) - Mountain Brook Lamprey
    • Ichthyomyzon unicuspis (Hubbs and Trautman, 1937) - Silver Lamprey
  • Genus Lampetra
    • Lampetra aepyptera (Abbott, 1860) - Least Brook lamprey
    • Lampetra alaskensis (Vladykov and Kott, 1978)
    • Lampetra appendix (DeKay, 1842) - American Brook Lamprey
    • Lampetra ayresii (Günther, 1870)
    • Lampetra fluviatilis (Linnaeus, 1758)
    • Lampetra hubbsi (Vladykov and Kott, 1976) - Kern Brook lamprey
    • Lampetra lamottei (Lesueur, 1827)
    • Lampetra lanceolata (Kux and Steiner, 1972)
    • Lampetra lethophaga (Hubbs, 1971) - Pit-Klamath Brook Lamprey
    • Lampetra macrostoma (Beamish, 1982) - Vancouver Lamprey
    • Lampetra minima (Bond and Kan, 1973) - Miller Lake Lamprey
    • Lampetra planeri (Bloch, 1784)
    • Lampetra richardsoni (Vladykov and Follett, 1965) - Western Brook Lamprey
    • Lampetra similis (Vladykov and Kott, 1979) - Klamath Lamprey
    • Lampetra tridentata (Richardson, 1836) - Pacific Lamprey
  • Genus Lethenteron
    • Lethenteron camtschaticum (Tilesius, 1811)
    • Lethenteron japonicum (Martens, 1868)
    • Lethenteron kessleri (Anikin, 1905)
    • Lethenteron matsubarai (Vladykov and Kott, 1978)
    • Lethenteron reissneri (Dybowski, 1869)
    • Lethenteron zanandreai (Vladykov, 1955)
  • Genus Petromyzon
    • Petromyzon marinus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Sea Lamprey
  • Genus Tetrapleurodon
    • Tetrapleurodon geminis (Alvarez, 1964)
    • Tetrapleurodon spadiceus (Bean, 1887)

Notes:

• Cephalaspidomorpha is sometimes given as a subclass of the Cephalaspidomorphi.
• Petromyzoniformes and Petromyzonidae are sometimes used as alternative spellings for Petromyzontiformes and Petromyzontidae respectively.

Relation to humans

Lampreys have long been used as food for humans. During the Middle Ages, they were widely eaten by the upper classes throughout Europe, especially during fasting periods, since their taste is much meatier than that of most true fish. King Henry I of England is said to have died from eating spoiled lampreys. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Fasting is the act of willingly (and generally briefly) abstaining from all food and in some cases drink, or in other cases from certain types or groups of food (e. ... Henry I (c. ...

Especially in Southwestern Europe (Portugal, Spain, France) they are still a highly prized delicacy and fetch up to $25 a pound. Overfishing has reduced their number in those parts. Europe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

On the other hand, lampreys have become a major plague in the North American Great Lakes after artificial canals allowed their entry during the early 20th century. They have no natural enemies in the lakes and prey on many species of commercial value, such as trouts. Since North American consumers, unlike Europeans, refuse to accept lampreys as food fish, the Great Lakes fishery has been very adversely affected by their invasion. They are now fought mostly in the streams that feed the lakes, with special barriers and special poisons called lampricides, which are harmless to other species (as lampreys are not true fish). However those programs are complicated and expensive, and they do not eradicate the lampreys from the lakes but merely keep them in check. New programs are being developed including the use of sterilization of male lamprey, trapping of prespawn adults. Research is currently under way on the use of pheremones and how they may be used to disrupt the life cycle. Control of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes is conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The work is coordinated by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Plague is usually understood as a generic term for Bubonic plague, the mortal disease caused by the bacillus Yersinia pestis, which is spread by fleas from rats to human beings. ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

References

• Study on the lamprey immune system
• ITIS report on the lampreys
• Lampreys as food, including recipes

• Fisher (1994). Fishes of the World, Third Edition. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 0471547131.

Wikibooks has a Dichotomous Key related to this taxon:

Petromyzonidae