Brook lamprey (Lampetra lamottenii)

Scientific name: Lampetra lamottenii Lesueur, 1827

The Brook lamprey (Lampetra lamottenii) is a freshwater fish of the family Petromyzontidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 9–25°C (48–77°F). Native range: North America, Great Lakes basin of Ontario to the Upper St. Lawrence River basin in Qu?bec and south to Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri.

Brook lamprey care at a glance

Temperature
9–25°C (48–77°F)

Biology

Trunk myomeres number 63-74. The bar below the mouth has 6-10 cusps. This species is distinguished from other Canadian lampreys by having 2 dorsal fins, the bar above the mouth with 2-3 pointed cusps, teeth along each side of the mouth bicuspid and pointed, and by distribution. Adults are blue-grey when spawning with orange tinges on the head, back, tail and fins. Otherwise brown is the overall color, the belly is white to light grey and fins are yellowish. Ammocoetes are pale brown.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Lampetra lamottenii
Family
Petromyzontidae (Lampreys)
Order
Petromyzontiformes (Lampreys)
Class
Cephalaspidomorphi (Lampreys)
Maximum length
31.7
Common length
21.7
Environment
Freshwater; demersal
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
North America: Great Lakes basin of Ontario to the Upper St. Lawrence River basin in Qu?bec and south to Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated