Australian lamprey (Mordacia mordax) fish species and information / pictures of Australian lamprey - Mordacia mordax

Australian lamprey (Mordacia mordax) fish species information

Scientific Name
Mordacia mordax

Common Name
Australian lamprey

Biology
Adults inhabit the sea for an undetermined period and are parasitic on fishes; enter freshwater to breed. Majority of adulthood is spent in estuaries or at sea. Upstream spawning migrants occur in fast-flowing sections of rivers with a mud, sand or silt substrate, sometimes seen congregated below barriers to upstream movement such as weirs. Ammocoetes live in slow-flowing streams, burrowed in mud or silt. Common length is 35-40 cm (Ref. 44894).

Classification

Classified By

Richardson, 1846

Class

Lampreys (Cephalaspidomorphi)

Order

Lampreys (Petromyzontiformes)

Family

Lampreys (Petromyzontidae)

Distribution

Region

Southern Ocean

Distribution

Southern Ocean: Southeastern Australia from Shoalhaven River, New South Wales to Gulf of St. Vincent, South Australia.

Range

35°S - 44°S

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243)

Trophic Level

4.4 s.e. 0.79 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

50.0 cm

Common Length

37.5 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6250 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (67 of 100)

Resilience

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated