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In British folklore, the monster known as the Lambton Worm may have been based on a lamprey, since it is described as an eel-like creature with nine eyes. [ citation needed ] In Japanese, lamprey are called yatsume-unagi (八つ目鰻, "eight-eyed eels"), thus excluding the nostril from the count.
Larvae of all lampreys are called ammocoetes and when small ABL ammocoetes have a dark band running longitudinally along the body, a dark head region, and the remainder of the body is clear. As they increase in size the body becomes increasing darker, reaching a dark brown by the time the ammocoetes reach their maximum size of about 250 mm (10 in).
Ammocoetes have pigmented eye spots located in the head that can detect light and dark. After metamorphosis from the ammocoete into the juvenile stage, the lamprey becomes a golden color with yellow-tinged fins. Teeth (often used to identify lamprey to species) develop on the oral disk, and the eyes develop from the eye spots at metamorphosis.
Like other lampreys, it has no jaws, only a sucker. The skin is a striking silver in adult lampreys caught fresh from the sea but soon changes to brown after they have been in fresh water for some time, due to deposition of biliverdin. [9] Adult's eyes are relatively small and located on the side of the head.
Northern brook lamprey are considered non-parasitic lamprey. [5] They have poorly developed teeth and a round, disc-like, subterminal mouth, called an oral-disc, for suction. Northern brook lampreys have a single dorsal fin that continues along their entire length until it connects with the caudal fin. [6] This dorsal fin can be notched as well.
The brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri), also known as the European brook lamprey and the western brook lamprey is a small European lamprey species that exclusively inhabits freshwater environments. The species is related to, but distinct from, the North American western brook lamprey ( Lampetra richardsoni ).
The Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) is an anadromous parasitic lamprey from the Pacific Coast of North America and Asia in an area called the Pacific Rim. [4] It is a member of the Petromyzontidae family. The Pacific lamprey is also known as the three-tooth lamprey and tridentate lamprey. Ammocoetes held by biologist in the Carmel River
The silver lamprey is an eel-like fish with an attenuate body composed of 49–52 clearly defined segments (i.e. myomeres, between the last gill slit and the anus).Silver lampreys possess a cartilaginous skeleton, and adults generally grow to a length of 12 inches and are silvery or bluish in color when spawning.