Petromyzon marinus

Petromyzon marinus
Sea Lamprey – Petromyzon marinus New Hampshire
Photo Credit: Brian Zimmerman
FamilyScientific NameAuthorYearCommon Name
PetromyzontidaePetromyzon marinusLinnaeus 1758Sea Lamprey

Petromyzon marinus

Unique Characters:  The two dorsal fins are widely divided.  Large, sharp disc teeth.  Large adults strongly mottled; juveniles silvery.

Petromyzon marinus
Sea Lamprey – Petromyzon marinus ammocoete tail

Similar Species:

Least Brook Lamprey Lampetra aepyptera.  The adult Sea Lamprey is readily distinguished from the Least Brook Lamprey by a number of characters, but the ammocoetes are more difficult to differentiate.  The Sea Lamprey has 66-75 trunk myomeres versus 52-59 in the Least Brook Lamprey.  Additionally, there is a lot of black pigment in the tail of the Sea Lamprey ammocoete versus none in the Least Brook Lamprey ammocoete.

Lampetra aepyptera
Least Brook Lamprey – Lampetra aepyptera – Male

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