Common name : Sea lamprey
Scientific name : Petromyzon marinus
Family : Petromyzontidae
Native to : Worldwide Oceans
Interesting fact : Lampreys spawn in rivers and die shortly after.
Conservation status : Least Concern
About 38 species of these eel-like fish are found in coastal and freshwaters. It has a round, sucker-like, jawless mouth filled with rows of teeth, that act as parasites boring into the flesh of the other fish to suck blood. Some feed on small invertebrates. They grow 13-100 cm long. Young larvae spend several years in rivers, feeding on detritus and micro-organisms. Their lifespan is 7 years.
