Biology
provided by Arkive
The adults spawn in May and June, and the eggs are deposited into depressions in the riverbed. As in river lampreys, a number of males mate with one female (5). The larvae (known as ammocoetes) live for three to seven years in the sand or mud, and filter organic matter from the water for nourishment (5). As they mature they develop eyes and the sucker-like mouth, and as sexual maturity is approached they stop feeding entirely. A few weeks after spawning the adults die (5). Unlike river and sea lampreys this species does not migrate out to sea, but spends the whole life-cycle in fresh water (it is not anadromous) (4).
Conservation
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A number of areas have been proposed as candidate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for the brook lamprey. The areas chosen support healthy populations and reflect the geographical range of the brook lamprey in the UK as well as the range of habitat features required by the species (7). Although this should help to improve the conservation status of this primitive fish in the UK, it has been noted that further measures will be required to maintain the species (7). Draft Action Plans have been produced for the three lamprey species found in the UK in order to guide their conservation (2). The Life in UK Rivers Project is helping to conserve this species.
Description
provided by Arkive
Lampreys are some of the most primitive vertebrates alive today, they are known as cyclostomes, which means 'round mouths' and refers to the fact that they are jawless, having instead a round sucker-like mouth. A further primitive characteristic is that the skeleton consists of cartilage and not bone (2). Lampreys are similar in shape to eels, and have a series of uncovered round gill openings (known as gill pores) on the sides of the head and a single nostril on the upper surface of the head (4). The brook lamprey is the smallest of the British lampreys (4), and has two dorsal (back) fins which are in close contact (2). It is grey-blue to green in colour and during the spawning period the areas around the mouth and the anal opening become rusty red (5). Brook lampreys are also known as 'pride' (6).
Habitat
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This freshwater species lives in small streams, rivers and lakes (6) with clean gravel beds to spawn in and silt or sand for the larvae (7).
Range
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The brook lamprey has declined in some areas of the UK but is relatively widespread and common in parts of England. In Scotland it is generally absent north of the Great Glen (7). In Europe it extends from Sweden to France (6), and has declined in parts of this range (7).
Status
provided by Arkive
Listed on Annex III of the Bern Convention and Annex II of the EC Habitats Directive (3).
Threats
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It is likely that the brook lamprey has been affected by pollution, river engineering works and changes in land use (2).
Diagnostic Description
provided by Fishbase
Poorly developed fins, dorsal fins in contact in mature adults, blue-green back, yellow flanks, white ventral portion (Ref. 2163). Diagnostic features: Adults: 8.6-17.0 cm TL. Body proportions, as percentage of TL (based on 16 specimens measuring 10.6-13.3 cm TL): prebranchial length, 10.9-12.6; branchial length, 7.5-9.9; trunk length, 44.4-53.3; tail length, 25.4-31.4; eye length, 2.3-2.9; disc length, 5.2-7.0. Urogenital papilla length, as a percentage of branchial length, in ten spawning males measuring 11.1-14.0 cm TL, 21.4-52.6. Trunk myomeres, 60-65. Dentition: supraoral lamina, 2 unicuspid teeth; infraoral lamina, 7-9 teeth, usually all unicuspid, but occasionally one lateralmost bicuspid; 3 endolaterals on each side; endolateral formula, typically 2-3-2; 2 rows of anterials; first row of anterials, 9 unicuspid teeth; exolaterals absent; posterials absent; transverse lingual lamina, 9-13 unicuspid teeth, the median one enlarged; longitudinal lingual laminae each with about 9 unicuspid teeth. Velar tentacles, 4-6, with tubercles. Body coloration (preserved), dorsal and lateral aspects grayish, ventral surface whitish, dorsal fins and caudal fin yellowish. Some specimens display a prominent dark blotch at the apex of the second dorsal fin. The iris is yellow. Lateral line neuromasts unpigmented. Unpigmented caudal fin except for spawning individuals in which it is "weakly peppered". Caudal fin shape, spade-like (Ref. 89241). Sigmund Freud (Ref. 72450, 72451 ) described the development of the central nervous system of brook lamprey.
Life Cycle
provided by Fishbase
The female attaches with her oral disc to a rock at the upstream end of the nest. The male attaches to the back of her head using his oral disc and wraps his tail around her trunk region in such a way as to have each others urogenital papilla in close proximity and through muscular contraction of his body assists in the extrusion of the eggs. They vibratevigorously for a few seconds. This results in the release of their gametes and disturbance of the substrate, which partially buries the fertilized eggs.They build small depressions in the gravel in the river bed in which they spawn. Adults die after spawning. Larvae hatch after 3-4 days.
Migration
provided by Fishbase
Potamodromous. Migrating within streams, migratory in rivers, e.g. Saliminus, Moxostoma, Labeo. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.
- Recorder
- Crispina B. Binohlan
Morphology
provided by Fishbase
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 0
Trophic Strategy
provided by Fishbase
Adults do not feed after metamorphosis (Ref. 6258). The species inhabits mostly submontane brooks and rivulets, the bed is mostly natural, the bottom sandy or gravelly with muddy places (Ref. 57699).
Biology
provided by Fishbase
Adults are found in the lowland, piedmont and montane zone in clear, well oxygenated brooks (Ref. 59043). They live exclusively in freshwater; in middle and upper reaches of small streams and rivers, occasionally in lakes. Larvae lie buried in the substrate while adults live in the open water (Ref. 57699). Sexually mature adults have been observed burrowing in fine sand (Ref. 89241). Larvae of this species can serve as mid-term bio-indicators (Ref. 57699). They live in detritus-rich sands or clay sediments (Ref. 59043). Larval life is 5+ to 6+ years, with the smaller individuals of the latter year class delaying metamorphosis by one year. Metamorphosis occurs in September in the Czech Republic (Ref. 89241). Filter feeding larvae, non-feeding adults (= non-parasitic). Reproduction takes place upstream, from April to May (Ref. 30578). Duration of the life cycle is believed to last 6 years on average. Communal spawning in the same redd by L. fluviatilis and L. planeri has been reported in the River Tywi Basin, Wales (UK), in April, at a water temperature of 11 °C. Both species participated in constructing a redd about 23 cm in diameter and 5-8 cm deep, consisting of pebbles, gravel, and coarse sand. In the river Yeo, England (UK), peak spawning activity varies between 26 March and 24 April when water temperatures reach 10-11 °C. As the spawning season progresses, male:female ratios shift from 3.54:1 to 1.60:1. In the Czech Republic, both sexes participate in the redd construction in shady areas of streams that are 1-8 m in width and a few centimeters to 0.8 m in depth. Spawning occurs between 1 and 17 June at water currents 1-4 m/s and water temperatures 10-16 °C (Ref. 89241). Because of its small size and the mediocre quality of its meat, it is rarely fished. The larvae are utilized as bait (Ref. 30578).
- Recorder
- Crispina B. Binohlan
Importance
provided by Fishbase
fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: public aquariums; bait: usually
- Recorder
- Crispina B. Binohlan
Brook lamprey
provided by wikipedia EN
The brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri, also known as the European brook lamprey and the western brook lamprey) is a small European lamprey species that exclusively inhabits freshwater environments. The species is related to, but distinct from, the North American western brook lamprey (Lampetra richardsoni).
Description
Close-up of a brook lamprey's anterior body.
The brook lamprey is a common, non-parasitic species that ranges from North America to northern Europe. Adult brook lampreys measure from 12 to 14 cm (4.7 to 5.5 in). The body is highly elongated and dark blue or greenish above, lightening to yellowish off-white on the sides and pure white on the ventral side. Like all lampreys, these fish lack paired fins and possess a circular sucking disc instead of jaws, which is filled with blunt teeth. They have a single nostril and seven small gill openings on either side behind the eye. The brook lamprey can be told from the closely related river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) by the fact that its two dorsal fins are more closely linked together.[3]
Distribution
Brook lampreys can be found in small streams and larger rivers throughout northern Europe as well as Portugal, southern France, Italy, Sardinia, the Balkans and the upper reaches of the Volga.
Biology
Unlike some species of lamprey, the adults do not migrate to the sea and do not have a parasitic phase. During the spawning time adult brook lampreys do not feed. Brook lampreys spawn in spring and summer in shallow areas of streams and sometimes lakes in gravel close to the soft sediment in which they were previously resident. Both males and females create pits by removing small rocks with their mouths and fanning smaller particles with their tails. The male and female deposit sperm and eggs, simultaneously while intertwined, into the nest. The female can release several thousand eggs, up to 100,000 for some species. Adult brook lamprey spawn in small groups and die soon after spawning.[4]
The eggs hatch within a few days, after which the young larvae bury themselves in soft sediment with only the mouth protruding. The young lampreys are blind filter feeders, feeding on detritus and other organic matter for three to five years before maturing. After spending four years as ammocoetes (Larva), these lampreys metamorphose to adults in the fall and spawn the following spring. This process is complete after the maturation of the gonads. Eyes and suction disk also develop during this time, while the intestinal tract degenerates and loses its function. The full transformation can take up to a year. Thus, these fish develop their teeth precisely when they are no longer able to eat. However, lampreys have been observed gripping stones with their teeth[5] in order to build nests, showing that the teeth do have a function.
References
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Brook lamprey: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
The brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri, also known as the European brook lamprey and the western brook lamprey) is a small European lamprey species that exclusively inhabits freshwater environments. The species is related to, but distinct from, the North American western brook lamprey (Lampetra richardsoni).
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
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