Petromyzonti (lampreys) >
Petromyzontiformes (Lampreys) >
Petromyzontidae (Northern lampreys) > Petromyzontinae
Etymology: Ichthyomyzon: ichthys, fish; myzon (Gr.), to suck (borrowed from Petromyzon), i.e., a sucking fish, referring to their suctorial behavior (See ETYFish); gagei: In honor of American histologist and embryologist Simon Henry Gage (1851-1944), Cornell University (Ithaca, New York, USA), “one of the foremost students of the lampreys,” who brought this “interesting and distinct species” to the authors’ attention (See ETYFish).
Eponymy: Simon Henry Gage (1851–1944) was a histologist and embryologist at Cornell University, which awarded his first degree (1877). [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on authors: Hubbs & Trautman.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Temperate; 37°N - 31°N
North America: Mississippi River basins, Tennessee River drainage and Gulf of Mexico Coast drainages from Ochlockonee River in Florida to Galveston Bay in Texas, USA.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 17.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); common length : 12.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193)
Distinguished by the following characters: Oral disc narrower than head; teeth blunt and poorly developed; usually 52-56 trunk myomeres; black on lateral-line pores; one slightly notch dorsal fin (Ref. 86798). Other adult diagnostic features: 8.6-12.9 cm TL. Body proportions, as percentage of TL (based on 35 specimens measuring 8.6-12.9 cm TL): prebranchial length, 8.3-11.2; branchial length, 8.3-11.1; trunk length, 47.0-56.0; tail length, 25.6-33.3; eye length, 1.1-2.1; disc length, 3.8-6.5. Urogenital papilla length, as a percentage of branchial length, in 6 spawning males measuring 9.2-11.1 cm TL, 22.7-33.3. Trunk myomeres, 50-56, with a strong mode at 53. Dentition: supraoral lamina, 2-4 teeth, usually 2; infraoral lamina, 5-10 unicuspid teeth, usually 8-9; 4-5 endolaterals on each side; 0-8 bicuspid endolaterals in total, the other endolaterals, unicuspid; 3-4 rows of anterials; first row of anterials, 3 unicuspid teeth; 3-4 rows of exolaterals on each side; 2 rows of posterials; first row of posterials, 9 unicuspid teeth; crest of transverse lingual lamina linear to weakly w-shaped, with no apparent cusps; longitudinal lingual laminae each with undetermined number of unicuspid teeth. Velar tentacle number unrecorded. Body coloration (preserved) distinctly bicolored, with the dorsal aspect dark and the ventral aspect light. Lateral line neuromasts darkly pigmented. Caudal fin pigmentation unrecorded. Caudal fin shape, rounded. Oral fimbriae number unrecorded. Oral papillae number unrecorded (Ref. 89241).
Freshwater (Ref. 89241). Inhabits gravel and sand riffles, and runs of creeks and small rivers. Ammocoete larvae occur in flowing water near sand bars and debris. Non-parasitic (Ref. 5723). Average fecundities varied from 713-2,448 eggs/female among 19 localities across the distributional range (Ref. 89241).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p. (Ref. 5723)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5156 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00107 (0.00040 - 0.00284), b=3.03 (2.80 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.1 ±0.7 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).
