Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The lake trout plays a vital role in the Lake Superior ecosystem. The lake trout has traditionally been considered an apex predator, which means that it has no predators. The sea lamprey is an aggressive predator by nature, which gives it a competitive advantage in a lake system where it has no predators and its prey lacks defenses against it.
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
Forage fish are small fish which are eaten by larger predators. They usually school together for protection. Typical ocean forage fish feed near the bottom of the food chain on plankton, often by filter feeding. They include the family Clupeidae (herrings, sardines, menhaden, hilsa, shad and sprats), as well as anchovies, capelin and halfbeaks.
Each larva that grows into a juvenile sea lamprey will migrate into Lake Michigan and can kill 40 pounds of fish in its 12- to 18-month feeding period.
The southern brook lamprey encounters a wide range of predators in its natural habitat. [7] The eggs of adults are preyed on by various species of fish and crayfish. [ 8 ] Southern brook lampreys in the larval stage serve as prey for a wide range of fish and bird species. [ 8 ]
Research on sea lampreys has revealed that sexually mature males use a specialized heat-producing tissue in the form of a ridge of fat cells near the anterior dorsal fin to stimulate females. After having attracted a female with pheromones, the heat detected by the female through body contact will encourage spawning.
For premium support please call: 800-290-4726 more ways to reach us
Sea lampreys devastated the fishing industry of the Great Lakes. Within 20 years of the lamprey entering the Great Lakes, the harvesting of lake trout was reduced by 98%. Control efforts included lampricides, physical barriers, pheromone alarms and baiting, and trapping. The control has been extremely successful in reducing sea lamprey ...