Petromyzonti (lampreys) >
Petromyzontiformes (Lampreys) >
Petromyzontidae (Northern lampreys) > Lampetrinae
Etymology: Lampetra: lambo (L.), to lick; petra (Gr.), rock or stone, referring to their suctorial behavior (adults attach to rocks during nest building and mating) (See ETYFish); pacifica: -ica (Gr.), belonging to: Pacific Coast streams of California and Oregon, USA, where it occurs (See ETYFish).
Issue
This species may be a synonym of L. richardsoni, the lower number of trunk myomeres in the former reflecting a latidutinal cline. This requires further investigation.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; non-migratory. Temperate
North America: USA, restricted to Columbia River drainage, Oregon,
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 17.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 89241); common length : 12.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Adults: 9.8-17.5 cm TL. Body proportions, as percentage of TL (based on 39 specimens measuring 9.8-17.3 cm TL): prebranchial length, 8.9-12.8; branchial length, 8.9-11.3; trunk length, 44.7-53.5; tail length, 24.3-35.0; eye length, 1.4-3.0; disc length, 4.1-7.2. Urogenital papilla length, as a percentage of branchial length, in ten spawning males measuring 11.2-13.3 cm TL, 17.8-36.4. Trunk myomeres, 53-58. Dentition: supraoral lamina, 2 unicuspid teeth; infraoral lamina, 6-9 unicuspid teeth, usually 8; usually 3 endolaterals on each side, occasionally 2 on one side; endolateral formulae highly variable with the first two teeth 1-3 and the third 1-2; 1-2 rows of anterials; first row of anterials, 6 unicuspid teeth (in spawning specimens, the teeth in the anterior field may be lost); exolaterals absent; posterials absent; transverse lingual lamina, undetermined number of minute unicuspid teeth on either side of an enlarged median one; longitudinal lingual laminae cusps too small to count. Velar tentacles, 3-6, with tubercles. Body coloration (preserved), dark gray on dorsal and lateral aspects, whitish on ventral aspect. Lateral line neuromasts unpigmented. Extent of caudal fin pigmentation, 1% to <25% (in prespawning individuals) or, 75% or more (in spawning individuals). Fleshy tissues around the lingual laminae darkly pigmented. Caudal fin shape, rounded. Oral fimbriae, 83 (holotype).
Freshwater; creeks and rivers. Metamorphosis occurs in October in Oregon and California.
Adults nonparasitic. Based on the dates of collection of spawning individuals in the original description, the spawning period probably occurs between mid-April and August in Oregon, while in California spawning probably occurs between the end of April and the beginning of May (Ref. 89241).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Renaud, C.B., 2011. Lampreys of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of lamprey species known to date. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 5. Rome, FAO. 109 pp. (Ref. 89241)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5002 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00138 (0.00062 - 0.00310), b=2.97 (2.78 - 3.16), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Semelparous species, assuming tm (= tmax) > 4).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
