Home > Animals > Fish > Sea lamprey

Sea lamprey

(Petromyzon marinus)

 

Category: Fish

 

 

These parasitic, eel-like organisms inhabit shorelines throughout the Northern Atlantic as well as the Great Lakes. Lamprey inhabit freshwater during their larval stage and spawning stage (end) of their lifecycle, and spend several years as adults at sea. Adults feed by attaching themselves to other fish with their sucker-like mouth and rasp away their scales with their sharp tongue and teeth. Secretions from the lamprey’s mouth prevent the prey’s blood from clotting, thereby allowing the lamprey to feed on the victim’s blood and other bodily fluids.

 

Data & Facts

Scientific Classification
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Hyperoartia (Petromyzontida)
Order - Petromyzontiformes
Family - Petromyzontidae
Genus - Petromyzon
Species - P. marinus

 
Did you know?
Interesting Animal Facts

ABC. It’s easy as Protandry

The largest, most aggressive female anemonefish rules the roost - she is the dominant member of the social group, and with one breeding male, the only one who reproduces. In anemonefish society, everybody knows where they stand in the hierarchy! So when she leaves the group, everybody moves up one spot - including the largest, most aggressive male, who undergoes a sex change to become the leader (and breeding female) of the group. While undergoing a sex change might sound drastic to humans, it is actually not all that uncommon in other species. Many do it, either naturally or due to environmental factors: fish, invertebrates, amphibians, some reptiles, even the occasional chicken!

Learn more >>

 


NAIA - National Animal Interest Alliance Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
To learn more about the NAIA or about other NAIA programs, visit us at www.NAIAOnline.org
if you would like to help, join or support the NAIA or any of its programs please click here >>