The Western brook lamprey (''Lampetra richardsoni'') is a small (<18 cm), widely distributed, non-parasitic species of

jawless fish Agnatha (, Ancient Greek 'without jaws') is an infraphylum of jawless fish in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, consisting of both present (cyclostomes) and extinct (conodonts and ostracoderms) species. Among recent animals, cyclostomes ...

endemic to the freshwater coastal waterways of the Western United States and Canada. Its range extends from the North American Pacific coast from Taku River, southern Alaska, Queen Charlotte Islands, to central California, including Vancouver Island, with major inland distributions in the Columbia and Sacramento-San Joaquin watersheds. One endangered parasitic variety, the Morrison Creek Lamprey (''Lampetra richardsoni var. marifuga''), is unique to Morrison Creek,

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

. Which is larger in size (15 – 18 cm). The Morrison Creek Lamprey is able to feed after it becomes an adult unlike the Western Brook Lamprey which can only feed in its larvae stage. The Western Brook Lamprey is Not at Risk (Yellow List) and does not have a Species at Risk Act. It spawns in spring until mid-summer when the water temperature is over 10 degrees Celsius. Nests made out of gravel, after hatching swept donwnstream into quieter parts of the stream and burrow into the ground. Stay in these quiet areas for about four years until eventually turning into adults. When they become adults in late summer to late fall they do not eat. After the lamprey spawns it dies.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5030882 .

Western brook lamprey The Western brook lamprey (''Lampetra richardsoni'') is a small (<18 cm), widely distributed, non-parasitic species of

jawless fish ...