Pacific lamprey

E35237

The Pacific lamprey is an ancient, eel-like jawless fish native to the Pacific coast of North America, where it plays a key ecological and cultural role, particularly for Indigenous communities.

Aliases (1)

Statements (80)
Predicate Object
instanceOf anadromous fish
species of jawless fish
adultDiet blood of marine fishes
body fluids of marine fishes
adultFeedingType parasitic
averageLength about 30 to 80 centimeters
commonName Pacific lamprey
conservationStatus declining in many river systems
culturalSignificanceFor Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest
Native American tribes along the Columbia River
describedAs ancient eel-like jawless fish
diesAfterSpawning true
ecologicalRole bioturbator of stream sediments
nutrient transporter between ocean and rivers
prey for birds
prey for larger fishes
prey for marine mammals
evolutionaryLineage agnathan vertebrate
evolutionarySignificance represents ancient vertebrate lineage
family Petromyzontidae
foundIn Columbia River Basin
Klamath River
Sacramento–San Joaquin river system
genus Entosphenus
harvestMethod traditional weirs and dip nets
hasColor dark bluish to brown dorsally
lighter ventrally
hasCommonName three-toothed lamprey
tridentate lamprey
hasFins caudal fin continuous with dorsal fins
two dorsal fins
hasGillOpenings seven pairs
hasLifeStage ammocoete larval stage
parasitic marine adult stage
spawning adult stage
hasMorphology cartilaginous skeleton
elongated eel-like body
jawless circular oral disc
seven pairs of gill openings
hasOralDiscFunction attaches to host fish
hasSensorySystem chemosensory abilities
well-developed lateral line system
hasTeeth keratinous teeth
kingdom Animalia
lacks paired pectoral fins
paired pelvic fins
true jaws
true scales
larvalFeedingType filter feeder
larvalHabitat soft sediment in freshwater streams
lifecycleType anadromous
managedBy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
tribal natural resource agencies
maximumLength over 80 centimeters
migratesTo ocean
nativeTo North Pacific Ocean
Pacific coast of North America
coastal rivers of Alaska
coastal rivers of British Columbia
coastal rivers of California
coastal rivers of Oregon
coastal rivers of Washington
order Petromyzontiformes
phylum Chordata
reproductionType oviparous
scientificName Entosphenus tridentatus
semelparous true
spawningSubstrate gravel nests in streams
spawnsIn freshwater streams
subjectOf Pacific Lamprey Conservation Initiative
taxonRank species
threatenedBy climate change
dams and migration barriers
habitat degradation
streamflow alteration
water pollution
usedAs ceremonial resource
trade item
traditional food source
usesCueForMigration pheromones from conspecific larvae

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Pacific lamprey ("three-toothed lamprey")
hasCommonName
Klamath River estuary
isImportantFor

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