E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of BC (Mobile Atlas Page)

Lampetra richardsoni Vladykov & Follett, 1965
Brook Lamprey; Western Brook Lamprey
Family: Petromyzontidae

Distinguished by the very blunt teeth, the lack of a distinct median tooth on the tongue and the lack of posterial teeth. Anterior dorsal fin lower than the posterior, arising well back on body; caudal fin joined to both dorsal and anal fins; anal fin small, represented in males by a low ridge. Females with a pointed 2nd dorsal fin and a conspicuous anal lobe. Back and sides dark gray to brown, ventral side of body whitish; fins translucent olive-green and the caudal fin with diffuse black pigment.

Source: FishBase. Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.

The British Columbia Conservation Data Centre recognizes a separate red-listed population of this species that is nonanadromous and moves within the river primarily at night (BCCDC 2012) : "Referred to as Lampetra richardsoni var. marifuga by Beamish (1986) and Beamish et al. (2001). Since a "variety" is not a standard taxonomic category in zoology, this fish is regarded as an undescribed population of L. richardsoni." Refer to the BC Species and Ecosystem Explorer for more details.

Species Biology

Inhabits gravel riffles and runs of clear, cool streams. Ammocoetes occur in muddy and sandy backwaters and pools of streams. Ammocoete feed mostly on diatoms but also on other microscopic plant and animal matter (Ref. 1998). Transformed lampreys do not feed at all . Nonparasitic.

Source: FishBase. Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.

BC Distribution and Notes

This species may be a non-migratory form of the river lamprey (L. ayresii). If they are the same species, the brook lamprey has taxonomic priority.

Source: Information provided by Don McPhail for E-Fauna BC.

Global Distribution

North America: Pacific slope from McDonald Lake, southeastern Alaska to Umpqua River drainage in Oregon, USA.

Source: FishBase. Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.

Scientific Name	Origin Status	Provincial Status	BC List (Red Blue List)	COSEWIC
Lampetra richardsoni	Native	S4	Yellow	Not Listed
Lampetra richardsoni pop. 1	Native	S1	Red	E (Apr 2010)

BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer--the authoritative source for conservation information in British Columbia.

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