Identify Sea LampreySea Lamprey made their way into the Great Lakes. Now they harm fish species by sucking their blood.
Learn how to identify sea lamprey in these photos and answer questions so that you can protect our lakes! 
NPS/C. Risko 
NPS/C. Risko 
NPS/C. Risko 
NPS/L. Pickart 
NPS/L. Pickart How many Eggs can a female sea lamprey produce? A. 20 to 100
B. 500 to 1000 C. 80,000 to 100,000 D. 250,000 to 500,000 Not quiteTry again!See the first picture to learn about sea lamprey eggs. Not quiteTry again!See the first picture to learn about sea lamprey eggs. Correct!Sea lamprey only reproduce once in their lifetime, therefore they produce a large quantity all at once. After adult sea lamprey build their nests with rocks upstream and lay their eggs, they die. Not quiteTry again!See the first picture to learn about sea lamprey eggs. How long do lamprey stay in their larval stage? A. 6 weeks
B. 6 months C. 12 months D. 3 - 10 years Not quiteTry again!See picture 2 to learn about the larval stage of sea lamprey Not quiteTry again!See picture 2 to learn about the larval stage of sea lamprey. Not quiteTry again!See picture 2 to learn about the larval stage of sea lamprey. Once they hatch from eggs sea lamprey are eyeless and mouthless. They live in the same stream bed and filter nutrients in the water through their gills.
The larva develop in as little as 3 years, but can remain in the larval stage for up to 10 years. The larva undergo a metamorphosis in which they develop eyes, teeth and a mouth and begin their parasitic stage of life. How many rows of teeth do sea lamprey have? A. 3
B. 5-7 C. 10 D. 32 Not quiteTry again!See picture 4 to learn about sea lamprey teeth. Sea lamprey's teeth allow them to latch onto their host fish.
Their tongue acts like a knife to puncture the skin of the host fish. Not quiteTry again!See picture 4 to learn about sea lamprey teeth. Not quiteTry again!See picture 4 to learn about sea lamprey teeth. How many pounds of fish do sea lamprey consume in their lifetime? A. 4 pounds
B. 12 pounds C. 40 pounds D. 100 pounds Not quiteTry again! See picture 5 to learn about the sea lamprey's life as a parasite. Not quiteTry again! See picture 5 to learn about the sea lamprey's life as a parasite. A. 40 pounds
The parasitic juvenile stage of sea lamprey only lasts 12 to 18 months. Since their arrival in the great lakes, sea lamprey have harmed fish species like lake trout. Sea lamprey's impact on fish populations make it important to control their spread. Lake trout are historically and commercially important as a fish for eating in Lake Superior. Not quiteTry again! See picture 5 to learn about the sea lamprey's life as a parasite. How big do sea lamprey get in the Great Lakes? A. 6 - 8 inches
B. 1 - 2 feet C. 2 - 4 feet D. 6 feet Not quiteTry again! See picture 4 to learn about how big sea lamprey get. In oceans, sea lamprey can reach up to 4 feet in length.
Because the Great Lakes and its fish species are considerably smaller than ocean fish, sea lamprey usually only reach 1 to 2 feet in length. Not quiteTry again! See picture 4 to learn about how big sea lamprey get. Not quiteTry again! See picture 4 to learn about how big sea lamprey get. Invading InvasivesFind more activities about invasive species and sea lamprey |
Last updated: January 9, 2025