River lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) fish species and information / pictures of River lamprey - Lampetra fluviatilis

River lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) fish species information

Scientific Name
Lampetra fluviatilis

Common Name
River lamprey

Biology
Amphihaline species. Adults live in the sea, but not as far from the coastline as Petromyzon marinus. They also occur in estuaries. Ammocoetes live in detritus-rich sand or clay sediments. In autumn, adults commonly undergo reproductive migration from the sea to the rivers. During reproductive migration and reproduction, adults do not feed but instead utilize their lipid reserves and are known to undergo a considerable shortening of up to 27 per cent. They spawn in strong-current habitats of rivers and streams. Spawning takes place in pre-excavated pits in river beds, its depth between 50 cm and 1 m; after spawning the adults die. The blind ammocoetes larvae are filter feeders and live mostly buried in the river bed. Metamorphosis takes pl

Classification

Classified By
Linnaeus, 1758
Class
Lampreys (Cephalaspidomorphi)
Order
Lampreys (Petromyzontiformes)
Family
Lampreys (Petromyzontidae)

Distribution

Region
Europe
Distribution
Europe: coastal waters and rivers of north-western Mediterranean Sea , along European Atlantic coast, North Sea and the whole of Baltic Sea. Absent from Black, Caspian and Polar seas. Landlocked populations from Lake Mjosa in Norway , Lakes Ladoga and Onega, upper Volga in Russia, Loch Lomond in Scotland, some Finnish lakes and possibly in Lough Neagh in Ireland. Appendix III of the Bern Convention. Protected by law in the Netherlands.
Range
69°N - 38°N, 11°W - 29°E

Environment

Climate
Temperate
Water Temperature From
5 °C
Water Temperature To
18 °C
Depth From - meters
10 m
Depth To - meters
Unknown m
Zone
demersal
Environment
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous ; depth range 10 - ? m
Trophic Level
4.5 s.e. 0.80 Based on food items.
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
32 cm
Phylogenetic Diversity Index
PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; bait: usually
Vulnerability
High vulnerability (62 of 100)
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=4-6; tmax=10; fec = 4,000)
Threat To Humans
Poisonous to eat (Ref. 5504)
IUCN Red List Status
Least Concern (LC)