Wildlife
Brook lampreys look superficially like eels, but are in fact jawless fish. They belong to a primitive group of fish that have sucker-like mouths instead of teeth and jaws. The larvae have no eyes or sucker-mouth when they hatch out, and spend the first part of their lives hiding away in the mud of the river bed. They live in rivers and streams. eating algae, diatoms and organic debris by filter feeding. As they mature they stop feeding and develop the sucker typical of a lamprey. Once the adults have spawned, they die.
Scientific name: Lampetra planeri
Rank: Species
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Do and die
As soon as they have fulfilled their reproductive duties, brook lampreys die.
As soon as they have fulfilled their reproductive duties, brook lampreys die.
Electro fishing
Presenters Martin Hughes-Games and Chris Packham go electro fishing for brook lamprey.
Presenters Martin Hughes-Games and Chris Packham go electro fishing for brook lamprey.
Make your bed
Primitive brook lampreys prepare to breed by making a sand bed.
Primitive brook lampreys prepare to breed by making a sand bed.
The Brook lamprey can be found in a number of locations including: Europe, Mediterranean, North America, United Kingdom. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Brook lamprey 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
The European brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri, also known as the Brook lamprey and the Western brook lamprey) is a small European lamprey species that exclusively inhabits freshwater. This species should not be confused with the North American species Lampetra richardsoni, which is also called the Western brook lamprey.
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Adapted to swimming
Detritus recycler
Tactile sense
Metamorphosis
Egg layer
Semelparous
Spawning