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Sea Lamprey

Fish

The sea lamprey is a jawless fish native to the coastal waters of the North Atlantic, using a circular, tooth-lined sucking mouth to attach to other fish and feed on their blood and body fluids, a habit that has earned it the nickname vampire fish. As one of the most ancient surviving fish lineages, it lacks jaws, scales, and paired fins entirely, retaining a body plan that predates most other living fish groups. Introduced into North America's Great Lakes, it became a highly destructive invasive species that devastated native fish populations before control programs brought it partly under control.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Parasitic 1
System (Realm)
Freshwater 2
System (Realm)
Marine 2
Relationship to People
Invasive or Introduced Species 3
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
G5 Secure 4
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 5
Scientific Name
Petromyzon marinus 1
Conservation Status
Least Concern 3
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Agnatha, Taxa
Source Sea lamprey (Wikidata)

In Biome

Lake, Biomes
Source Sea lamprey (Wikidata)

In Ecosystem

Great Lakes, Ecosystems
Source Wikipedia: Sea Lamprey
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Africa

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Belgium

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Canada

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Denmark

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France

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Greece

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Indonesia

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Netherlands

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

North America

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Norway

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Spain

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Sweden

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United States

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Sea lamprey (Wikidata)
Wikidata
  • Wikidata Q385764 (P225 taxon name)
  • Introduction
  • Statements section, conservation status (P141)
    IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
  • Child Taxon Of: Agnatha, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
3. Wikipedia: Sea Lamprey
Wikipedia
  • Infobox: status
    LC
  • In Ecosystem: Great Lakes, Lead
    It was likely introduced to the Great Lakes region through the Erie Canal in 1825 and the Welland Canal in 1919 where it has attacked native fish such as lake trout, lake whitefish, chub, and lake herring.
View the Source
4. NatureServe Explorer: Petromyzon marinus
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G5"
View the Source
5. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Petromyzon marinus (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyConservation Status: CITES
Quote, Conservation Status: CITES
CITES No special status
View the Source
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