Australian lamprey (Mordacia mordax) fish species and information / pictures of Australian lamprey - Mordacia mordax

Australian lamprey (Mordacia mordax) fish species information

Scientific Name
Mordacia mordax

Common Name
Australian lamprey

Biology
Adults inhabit the sea for an undetermined period and are parasitic on fishes; enter freshwater to breed. Majority of adulthood is spent in estuaries or at sea. Upstream spawning migrants occur in fast-flowing sections of rivers with a mud, sand or silt substrate, sometimes seen congregated below barriers to upstream movement such as weirs. Ammocoetes live in slow-flowing streams, burrowed in mud or silt. Common length is 35-40 cm (Ref. 44894).

Classification

Classified By
Richardson, 1846
Class
Lampreys (Cephalaspidomorphi)
Order
Lampreys (Petromyzontiformes)
Family
Lampreys (Petromyzontidae)

Distribution

Region
Southern Ocean
Distribution
Southern Ocean: Southeastern Australia from Shoalhaven River, New South Wales to Gulf of St. Vincent, South Australia.
Range
35°S - 44°S

Environment

Climate
Temperate
Water Temperature From
Unknown °C
Water Temperature To
Unknown °C
Depth From - meters
Unknown m
Depth To - meters
Unknown m
Zone
demersal
Environment
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243)
Trophic Level
4.4 s.e. 0.79 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Occurs in Marine / Salt water
True
Occurs in Brackish water
True
Occurs in Fresh Water
True
Occurs on Reefs
False
Is kept in Aquariums
False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length
50.0 cm
Common Length
37.5 cm
Phylogenetic Diversity Index
PD50 = 0.6250 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Vulnerability
High to very high vulnerability (67 of 100)
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)
Threat To Humans
  Harmless
IUCN Red List Status
  Not Evaluated