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| Scientific Name |
Mordacia mordax |
| Classified By |
Richardson, 1846 |
| Common Name |
Australian lamprey |
| Class |
Lampreys (Cephalaspidomorphi) |
| Order |
Lampreys (Petromyzontiformes) |
| Family |
Lampreys (Petromyzontidae) |
| 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). |
| Climate |
Temperate |
| Water Temperature From - Celcius |
Unknown °C |
| Water Temperature To - Celcius |
Unknown °C |
| Depth From - meters |
Unknown
m |
| Depth To - meters |
Unknown
m |
| Zone |
demersal |
| Distribution |
Southern Ocean: Southeastern Australia from Shoalhaven River, New South Wales to Gulf of St. Vincent, South Australia. |
| Region |
Southern Ocean |
| Range |
35°S - 44°S |
| Maximum Length |
50.0
cm |
| Common Length |
37.5
cm |
| Environment |
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243) |
| 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 |
| Human Uses |
Fisheries: of no interest |
| Phylogenetic Diversity Index |
PD50 = 0.6250 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g.
lungfishes) |
| Trophic Level |
4.4 s.e. 0.79 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives |
| Is kept in Aquariums |
False |
| Occurs in Marine / Salt water |
True |
| Occurs in Brackish water |
True |
| Occurs in Fresh Water |
True |
| Occurs on Reefs |
False |