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Critters of the Chesapeake Bay

Critters of the Chesapeake Bay. Sea Lampreys. Sea Lampreys. Sea lampreys are members of an ancient family of “jawless fishes” that were around before the dinosaurs. Sea Lampreys.

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Critters of the Chesapeake Bay

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  1. Critters of the Chesapeake Bay Sea Lampreys

  2. Sea Lampreys Sea lampreys are members of an ancient family of “jawless fishes” that were around before the dinosaurs.

  3. Sea Lampreys Adult lampreys are parasitic on a large variety of fishes and marine mammals where they seek out the largest members of the species.

  4. Sea Lampreys Adults use their disc-shaped mouth full of teeth to hold fast to fish.

  5. Sea Lampreys They may stay attached for days, or even weeks feeding of the body fluids of their victims.

  6. Sea Lampreys Although lampreys are best known for their parasitic exploits in the Great Lakes, they are native to the Chesapeake Bay.

  7. Sea Lampreys Adults enter the bay’s tributaries from March to June to breed. Adults die soon after this spawning event.

  8. Sea Lampreys The unattended eggs hatch about two weeks later. The larvae drift downstream, eventually burrowing into sandy or silty areas.

  9. Sea Lampreys The young lamprey may remain in the sand filter feeding for up to 17 years.

  10. Sea Lampreys Only the mature sea lampreys are parasitic. They spend their few adult years along the Atlantic Coast.

  11. Sea Lampreys Adult sea lampreys grow to about 2.5 feet. They tend to show brown or black mottling dorsally; whitish or gray ventrally.

  12. Sea Lampreys At present, sea lampreys are not a major problem in the bay. This may be due to the fact that lampreys prefer clear, pollution free waters.

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