European brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) fish species and information / pictures of European brook lamprey - Lampetra planeri

European brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) fish species information

Scientific Name
Lampetra planeri

Common Name
European brook lamprey

Biology
Found in the lowland, piedmont and montane zone in clear, well oxygenated brooks. Lives exclusively in freshwater; in middle and upper reaches of small streams and rivers, occasionally in lakes. Larvae lie buried in the substrate while adults live in the open water. Larvae of this species can serve as mid-term bio-indicators. They live in detritus-rich sands or clay sediments. Filter feeding larvae, non-feeding adults. Reproduction takes place upstream, from April to May. Because of its small size and the mediocre quality of its meat, it is rarely fished. The larvae are utilized as bait.

Classification

Classified By

Bloch, 1784

Class

Lampreys (Cephalaspidomorphi)

Order

Lampreys (Petromyzontiformes)

Family

Lampreys (Petromyzontidae)

Distribution

Region

Europe

Distribution

Europe: Great Britain north to Scottish highlands, rivers draining to North Sea north to Scotland and about Stavanger , Baltic Sea basin, Atlantic as far south as Adour drainage and isolated populations in Sado, Tagus and Douro drainages , Mediterranean basin in France and western Italy. Locally in Ireland, upper Volga, upper Danube and some of their tributaries and Pescara drainage on Adriatic coast of Italy. Appendix III of the Bern Convention.

Range

68°N - 36°N, 10°W - 50°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

1 °C

Water Temperature To

15 °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous

Trophic Level

4.07 s.e. 0.69 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

20.0 cm

Common Length

16.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: public aquariums; bait: usually

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (44 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.16; tm=6-7; tmax=7; Fec=800 (semelparous))

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)