Family Petromyzontidae - Northern lampreys
Order : Petromyzontiformes Petromyzontidae
Class : Petromyzonti
No. in FishBase : Genera : 8 | Species : 43 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes
Environment : Fresh : Yes | Brackish : Yes | Marine : Yes
Division : Peripheral/diadromous
Aquarium : none
First Fossil Record : lower   Permian     Ref. Hardisty, M.W. 1986
Remark : Distribution: Mainly north hemisphere temperate zones of the world.
Size; larvae max 10 cm, adults max 120 cm.
Habitat and ecology: Marine species anadromous. 'Parasitic' species (15 spp) live up to 3-5 years as adults and are either restricted to freshwater of are anadromous, feed mainly on either the blood or the flesh of fishes and marine mammals. The non-parasitic (21 spp) are restricted to freshwater and do not feed during adult life that lasts to less than a year (Ref. 117245) Land-locked, lake populations or species are common in the northern hemisphere, which also commonly appear as species pairs, with one species parasitic, and the other non-parasitic.
The larval (ammocoete) stage is filter feeding, whereas the adult uses the sucker shaped mouth to attach to other fishes and feeds off the wound (feed on a variety of bony fishes, right whale Eubalaena glacialis, sharks like Cetorhinus maximus, Prionace glauca, Carcharhinus plumbeus, C. obscurus, Somniosus microcephalus Ref. 58185).
Description: Jawless vertebrates with cartilaginous skeleton and notochord. Eel-like in shape; scales and paired fins absent; adults with well developed eyes; pouch-like gills not supported by gill arches; corneous teeth on the circular oral disk and the tongue; dorsal and ventral nerve roots separated; nasohypophyseal sac has an external opening only; intestinal tract with spiral valve and cilia; members of Petromyzontinae have the highest number of chromosomes (164-174) among vertebrates; 1 (genus Ichthyomyzon) or 2 (all other genera) dorsal fins; cloaca under the anterior half of the second dorsal fin; midgut of ammocoetes (at least in Entosphenus tridentatus, Lampetra fluviatilis, and Petromyzon marinus) does not possess a diverticulum; oral papillae present along the anterior and lateral edges of the oral disc, but absent from the posterior edge; all oral papillae of uniform size; oral fimbriae present around the entire perimeter of the oral disc; one supraoral lamina; labial teeth either pointed or rounded; eyes dorsolateral in immature and mature adults; fins separate in immature adults and contiguous in mature adults of genera with 2 dorsal fins; second dorsal fin/posterior lobe of the single dorsal fin confluent with (= continuous with) the caudal fin in ammocoetes as well as in immature and mature adults; one pair of kidney-shaped buccal glands; gular pouch, when present, small, never extending past the posterior edge of the eye.
Reproduction: Sexes separate; eggs numerous (thousands), small and not yolky, buried in spawning redds excavated in clean, hard bottoms (litophilous broodhiders). Non-parasitic species breed immediately after metamorphosis. Parents die after spawning. The larval (ammocoetes) stage lives for several years in freshwater before undergoing a radical metamorphosis and then as a rule returns to the sea.
Lampreys (together with hagfishes) are the most basal extant vertebrates. Definite fossil records date back to the upper Carboniferous, about 280 million years ago (Ref. 12268). Also from the Cretaceous of China from 125 million years ago and from the Devonian of South Africa from 360 million years ago.
Ammocoetes and adults are used as bait in some areas. A number of species are used as food.
Classification: The classification follows Ref. 89241 based on partial results of Ref. 89370 where Geotria and Mordacia are separated in two other distinct families (Ref. 89241, Ref. 58010). Hence the meaning of the subfamily Petromyzontinae is consequently changed.
Petromyzontidae Petromyzontinae ((Petromyzon, 1 sp., Ichthyomyzon, 6 spp.) Lampetrinae (4 gen., 29 spp.) Geotriidae (Geotria, 1 sp.) Mordaciidae (Mordacia, 3 spp.)
Other previous classifications were:
Ref. 39873 Petromyzontidae Geotriidae (Geotria, 1 sp.; Mordacia, 3 spp.)
Cited in Ref. 39873 Petromyzontidae Petromyzontinae Geotriinae (Geotria, 1 sp.; Mordacia, 3 spp.)
Etymology : Latin, petra = stone + Greek, myzo = to suckle + Greek, odous, odontos = teeth ( Ref. 45335).
Reproductive guild : nonguarders
Typical activity level :
Main Ref. : Renaud, C.B. 2011
Coordinator :
Deep Fin Classification :

Show species images | Show valid names | Nominal species list | Identification keys | CAS specimen photos | References

Ref.
[ e.g. 9948 ]
Glossary
[ e.g. oophagy ]


Species/Synonymy list for the family Petromyzontidae as currently in FishBase

Important recommendation:

The list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions, which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist.

Rather, it reflects the current content of FishBase, and the progress with respect to synchronization with the Catalog of Fishes. However, we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in FishBase, to start new work on the family, or to cross-check with other lists.

But we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value. In particular, for published scientific, we suggest then to cite it in the Material and Method section as a useful tool to conduct the research, but again, not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference.

Unless it is explicitly precised, the list is not complete, please search all original names published for the family in the Catalog of Fishes (genera, species), including those with uncertain or unknown status, that are not included in FishBase when they are not attached to a valid species.

This list uses some data from Catalog of Fishes (not shown but used to sort names).

The list ordered as follows:

Please send comments and corrections if you detect errors or missing names.

Show all | Show only accepted name | Show only accepted and original names
Scientifc name Status Senior/Junior synonym Combination
Petromyzontinae
Petromyzon marinus Linnaeus, 1758
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra marina (Linnaeus, 1758)
synonymseniornew
Petromyzon ruber Lacepède, 1800
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
Petromyzon lampetra Pallas, 1814
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon maximus Cuvier, 1816
ambiguousotheroriginal
Petromyzon americanus Lesueur, 1818
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon nigricans Lesueur, 1818
synonymjuniororiginal
Ammocoetes bicolor Lesueur, 1818
synonymjuniororiginal
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Batymyzon bairdii (Gill, 1883)
synonymjuniornew
synonymjuniororiginal
Oceanomyzon wilsoni Fowler, 1908
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon concolor (non Kirtland, 1840)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Ichthyomyzon bdellium (Jordan, 1885)
acceptedseniornew
Petromyzon bdellium Jordan, 1885
synonymseniororiginal
Petromyzon nigrum Rafinesque, 1820
ambiguousotheroriginal
Petromyzon argenteus Kirtland, 1838
ambiguoushomonymoriginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Ichthyomyzon hirudo Girard, 1858
synonymjuniororiginal
Ichthyomyzon fossor Reighard & Cummins, 1916
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
! Ammocoetes borealis Agassiz, 1850
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
Ammocoetus borealis Agassiz, 1850
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
Ichthyomyzon gagei Hubbs & Trautman, 1937
acceptedseniororiginal
Ichthyomyzon greeleyi Hubbs & Trautman, 1937
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Ichthyomyzon unicuspis Hubbs & Trautman, 1937
acceptedseniororiginal
! Ammocoetes concolor Kirtland, 1840
synonymjuniororiginal
Ammocoetus concolor Kirtland, 1840
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
Petromyzon concolor (Kirtland, 1840)
ambiguoushomonymnew
Lampetrinae
Lampetra planeri (Bloch, 1784)
acceptedseniornew
Petromyzon planeri Bloch, 1784
synonymseniororiginal
Petromyzon septoeuil Lacepède, 1802
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon niger Lacepède, 1802
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon caecus Couch, 1832
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
Petromyzon anomalum De la Pylaie, 1835
ambiguousotheroriginal
ambiguousotheroriginal
synonymotheroriginal
Lampetra fluviatilis (Linnaeus, 1758)
acceptedseniornew
Petromyzon pricka Lacepède, 1798
ambiguousotheroriginal
Petromyzon fluviatilis Linnaeus, 1758
synonymseniororiginal
Petromyzon branchialis Linnaeus, 1758
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon sanguisuga Lacepède, 1800
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon jurae MacCulloch, 1819
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon macrops Blainville, 1825
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
ambiguoushomonymoriginal
Ammocoetes communis Gistel, 1848
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon omalii Beneden, 1857
synonymjuniororiginal
ambiguousotheroriginal
Lampetra opisthodon Gratzianov, 1907
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
ambiguousotheroriginal
ambiguousotheroriginal
Lampetra ayresi (non Günther, 1870)
misappliedmisappliednew
Lampetra aepyptera (Abbott, 1860)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Lethenteron meridionale Vladykov, Kott & Pharand-Coad, 1975
synonymjuniororiginal
Lampetra ayresii (Günther, 1870)
acceptedseniornew
Petromyzon ayresii Günther, 1870
synonymseniororiginal
! Lampetra ayresi (Günther, 1870)
synonymseniornew
! Lampetra eyresi (Günther, 1870)
synonymseniornew
ambiguousotheroriginal
Ammocoetes cibarius Girard, 1858
synonymjuniororiginal
Lampetra cibaria (Girard, 1858)
synonymjuniornew
Lampetra fluviatilis (non Linnaeus, 1758)
misappliedmisappliednew
Lampetra zanandreai Vladykov, 1955
acceptedseniororiginal
synonymseniorchange in rank
Lethenteron zanandreai (Vladykov, 1955)
synonymseniornew
Lampetra richardsoni Vladykov & Follett, 1965
acceptedseniororiginal
! Lampetra richardsonii Vladykov & Follett, 1965
synonymseniororiginal
Petromyzon branchialis (non Linnaeus, 1758)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Lampetra planeri (non Bloch, 1784)
misappliedmisappliednew
Lampetra lanceolata Kux & Steiner, 1972
acceptedseniororiginal
Eudontomyzon lanceolata (Kux & Steiner, 1972)
synonymseniornew
Lampetra pacifica Vladykov, 1973
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra hubbsi (Vladykov & Kott, 1976)
acceptedseniornew
Entosphenus hubbsi Vladykov & Kott, 1976
synonymseniororiginal
Lampetra alavariensis Mateus, Alves, Quintella & Almeida, 2013
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra auremensis Mateus, Alves, Quintella & Almeida, 2013
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra lusitanica Mateus, Alves, Quintella & Almeida, 2013
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra soljani Tutman, Freyhof, Dulčić, Glamuzina & Geiger, 2017
acceptedseniororiginal
Entosphenus tridentatus (Richardson, 1836)
acceptedseniornew
Petromyzon tridentatus Richardson, 1836
synonymseniororiginal
synonymseniornew
Lampetra tridentata (Richardson, 1836)
synonymseniornew
! Lampetra tridentatus (Richardson, 1836)
synonymseniornew
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon lividus Girard, 1858
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon astori Girard, 1858
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
synonymotheroriginal
synonymothernew
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Entosphenus minimus (Bond & Kan, 1973)
acceptedseniornew
Lampetra minima Bond & Kan, 1973
synonymseniororiginal
Entosphenus folletti Vladykov & Kott, 1976
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra folletti (Vladykov & Kott, 1976)
synonymseniornew
Entosphenus similis Vladykov & Kott, 1979
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra similis (Vladykov & Kott, 1979)
synonymseniornew
Entosphenus macrostoma (Beamish, 1982)
acceptedseniornew
Lampetra macrostoma Beamish, 1982
synonymseniororiginal
! Entosphenus macrostomus (Beamish, 1982)
synonymseniornew
Caspiomyzon wagneri (Kessler, 1870)
acceptedseniornew
Petromyzon wagneri Kessler, 1870
synonymseniororiginal
Agnathomyzon wagneri (Kessler, 1870)
synonymseniornew
Agnathomyzon caspicus Gratzianov, 1907
synonymjuniororiginal
Caspiomyzon hellenicus (Vladykov, Renaud, Kott & Economidis, 1982)
acceptedseniornew
Eudontomyzon hellenicus Vladykov, Renaud, Kott & Economidis, 1982
synonymseniororiginal
Caspiomyzon graecus (Renaud & Economidis, 2010)
acceptedseniornew
Eudontomyzon graecus Renaud & Economidis, 2010
synonymseniororiginal
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra danfordi (Regan, 1911)
synonymseniornew
Petromyzon danfordi (Regan, 1911)
synonymseniornew
Lampetra minor Grossinger, 1794
synonymotheroriginal
! Lampetra bergi Vladykov, 1925
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniornew
Eudontomyzon mariae (Berg, 1931)
acceptedseniornew
Lampetra mariae Berg, 1931
synonymseniororiginal
! Eudontomyzon maria (Berg, 1931)
synonymseniornew
Petromyzon ponticus Yashchenko, 1896
ambiguousotheroriginal
Petromyzon branchialis (non Linnaeus, 1758)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Eudontomyzon stankokaramani (non Karaman, 1974)
misappliedmisappliedchange in rank
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Eudontomyzon morii (Berg, 1931)
acceptedseniornew
Lampetra morii Berg, 1931
synonymseniororiginal
Eudontomyzon vladykovi Oliva & Zanandrea, 1959
provisionally acceptedseniorchange in rank
Eudontomyzon danfordi vladykovi Oliva & Zanandrea, 1959
synonymseniororiginal
Eudontomyzon mariae vladykovi Oliva & Zanandrea, 1959
synonymseniorchange in species
provisionally acceptedseniorchange in rank
synonymseniororiginal
Lethenteron appendix (DeKay, 1842)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Lampetra appendix (DeKay, 1842)
synonymseniornew
Petromyzon lamottenii Lesueur, 1827
ambiguousquestionableoriginal
Lampetra lamottenii (Lesueur, 1827)
ambiguousquestionablenew
! Entheromyzon lamottei (Lesueur, 1827)
ambiguousquestionablenew
! Lampetra lamottei (Lesueur, 1827)
ambiguousquestionablenew
! Lampetra lamotteni (Lesueur, 1827)
ambiguousquestionablenew
Lampetra wilderi Gage, 1896
synonymjuniororiginal
Lethenteron camtschaticum (Tilesius, 1811)
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Lampetra camtschatica (Tilesius, 1811)
synonymseniornew
! Lethenteron camshchaticum (Tilesius, 1811)
synonymseniornew
Lampetra variegata Tilesius, 1811
ambiguousotheroriginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Petromyzon borealis Girard, 1858
synonymjuniororiginal
Lampetra borealis (Girard, 1858)
synonymjuniornew
Petromyzon japonicus Martens, 1868
synonymjuniororiginal
Entosphenus japonicus (Martens, 1868)
synonymjuniornew
synonymjuniornew
Lampetra japonica (Martens, 1868)
synonymjuniornew
Lethenteron japonicum (Martens, 1868)
synonymjuniornew
synonymjuniornew
Petromyzon kameraticus Dybowski, 1869
ambiguousotheroriginal
Petromyzon ernstii Dybowski, 1872
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Lampetra aurea (Bean, 1881)
synonymjuniornew
Petromyzon dentex Anikin, 1905
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
! Petromyzon fluvialis Linaaeus, 1758
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Lampetra kessleri (non Anikin, 1905)
misappliedmisappliednew
Lethenteron reissneri (Dybowski, 1869)
acceptedseniornew
Petromyzon reissneri Dybowski, 1869
synonymseniororiginal
Entosphenus reissneri (Dybowski, 1869)
synonymseniornew
Lampetra reissneri (Dybowski, 1869)
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniornew
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Lethenteron matsubarai Vladykov & Kott, 1978
synonymjuniororiginal
Lethenteron kessleri (Anikin, 1905)
acceptedseniornew
Petromyzon kessleri Anikin, 1905
synonymseniororiginal
Entosphenus kessleri (Anikin, 1905)
synonymseniornew
synonymseniornew
Lampetra kessleri (Anikin, 1905)
synonymseniornew
synonymseniorchange in rank
Lethenteron matsubarai (non Vladykov & Kott, 1978)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Lethenteron alaskense Vladykov & Kott, 1978
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra alaskensis (Vladykov & Kott, 1978)
synonymseniornew
! Lampetra alaskanse (Vladykov & Kott, 1978)
synonymseniornew
! Lampetra alaskense (Vladykov & Kott, 1978)
synonymseniornew
Lethenteron ninae Naseka, Tuniyev & Renaud, 2009
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra ninae (Naseka, Tuniyev & Renaud, 2009)
synonymseniornew
acceptedseniornew
synonymseniororiginal
Tetrapleurodon geminis Álvarez, 1966
acceptedseniororiginal
Lampetra geminis (Álvarez, 1966)
synonymseniornew
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