The VALiens

Lampreys begin life as burrowing freshwater larvae (ammocoetes). At this stage, they are toothless, have rudimentary eyes, and feed on microorganisms. After several years, they transform into adults and typically move into the sea to begin a parasitic life, attaching to a fish by their mouths and feeding on the blood and tissues of the host. To reproduce, lampreys return to freshwater, build a nest, then spawn (lay their eggs) and die.

Not all lampreys spend time in the sea. Some are landlocked and remain in fresh water. A notable example is a landlocked race of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). This form entered the Great Lakes of North America and, because of its parasitic habits, had a disastrous killing influence on lake trout and other commercially valuable fishes before control measures were devised. Other lampreys, such as the brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri), also spend their entire lives in fresh water. They are nonparasitic, however, and do not feed after becoming adults; instead, they reproduce and die.

Lampreys have long been used to some extent as food. They are, however, of no great economic value.

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