Wildlife
Lampreys are a very ancient and primitive group of jawless vertebrates. Rare fossil remains from over 300 million years ago strongly suggest that today's lampreys have changed little over this time. Most species of lamprey are parasites and have long, eel-like bodies that lack scales. They use their jawless mouths to attach to a host fish by suction before sucking out the living tissues. There are nearly 50 species of lamprey, most of whom spend their lives out at sea and return to freshwater only to spawn.
The following habitats are found across the Lampreys distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Cephalaspidomorphs are a group of jawless fishes named for the cephalaspids, a group of osteostracans. Most biologists regard this taxon as extinct, but the name is sometimes used in the classification of lampreys because lampreys were once thought to be related to cephalaspids. If lampreys are included, they would extend the known range of the group from the Silurian and Devonian periods to the present day.
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Migration
Adapted to swimming
Carnivorous
Blood sucker
Parasitic
Spawning