Sea Lamprey

ocean · parasites · ancient creatures · vampire fish

Circular sucking mouth. The sea lamprey has a circular mouth lined with hundreds of sharp teeth arranged in rings. It uses this mouth like a suction cup to attach to fish and feed on their blood and body fluids.

Northern Hemisphere home. Sea lampreys live in oceans and rivers across the Northern Hemisphere, including in Europe and North America. They travel between salt water and fresh water at different stages of their lives.

Ancient survivors. Lampreys have existed for over 360 million years, making them one of the oldest types of fish on Earth. They looked almost the same back then as they do today.

Trouble for fishermen. Sea lampreys can seriously harm fish populations and fishing industries because they weaken or kill the fish they parasitize. Some places work hard to control their numbers to protect native fish.

Dramatic life change. Young lampreys called ammocoetes live in rivers eating tiny bits of food, then as adults they transform into parasites that feed on fish blood and migrate to the ocean.