TN00167 OHIO LAMPREY ICHTHYOMYZON BDELLIUM
Physical description: This is a parasitic lamprey with 1 dorsal fin, myomeres (53)56-60(61), and of moderate size, transformed specimens usually 130-250 mm TL. Dorsal fin in transformed specimens is lowest anteriorly and rises smoothly to the posterior portion, or the two portions are demarked by a slight to moderate, rounded depression. In the ammocoetes, the anterior portion of the dorsal fin often very low inconspicuous and only slighty connected to the poserior portion. Teeth long, curved, sharp, edges angulate, olthough teeth sometimes worn in nuptial adults; circumoral teeth (18)20-22(23); bicuspid circumoral teeth (7)8-10(12); supraoral cusps 2-3(4); infraoral cusps (5)7-10(11); anterior row teeth (3)4-5; latreral cusps 7-9(10); transverse lingual lamina moderately to highly bilobed, its largest denticles moderate to large, total denticles (15)18-30(32). Merasurments in % TL: Disk diameter (3.9)4.5-6.0(7.3); snout length (7.2)7.5-9.0(9.6); eye length (1.0)1.2-1.5(1.8); branchial length (7.7)8.8-9.6(10.7), longest in maturity; tail length (24.6)26.0-30.0(31.9), longest in maturity; Body depth (5.6)6.1- 8.7(10.7), deepest at food satiation and maturity; first dorsal fin height (1.1)1.3-2.0(4.0), highest in mature male. Parasitic juveniles are yellow- olive on the back and sides, slightly darker on the back; posterior one-third of side in some specimens with brown olive mottling and reticulation; belly pale anteriorly, remainder yellow-gold to gray-olive. Preorbital and suborbital areas the most golden part of the the fish; side od disk gold-olive; inner iris silvery, dusky peripherally. Spots on head and trunk olive-black; teeth dulll golden. Fins yellow-olive to gray-olive, yellowest basally. Mature specimens from Kentucky were bluish-gray to lead-gray, belly white and dots black *4205*. Reproduction: Spawning occures in May and late April in the upper Tennessee. This species dies after it spawns *4205*. Behaivior: In aquaria they began to attach to suckers in late September, and began feeding in late October. The larvae burrow and filter feed. At night they often emerge from the substrate. Larvae consume bacteria, protozoans, decayed phytoplankton and/or detritus *4205*. Population parameters: The life span of this species is about 6 years *4205*. Aquatic terrestrial associations: This species is parasitic and hosts include paddlefish, carp, suckers, and black bass *4205*.
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References for Life History Codes
4205
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