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Southern Hemisphere Lampreys
There are currently five species of lamprey in the Southern Hemisphere. Look below to learn more about these fascinating fish!
A New Zealand or pouched lamprey (Geotria australis), Northland conservancy, New Zealand, Photo: Peter Anderson - Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Geotria australis
is the only species in the family (Geotriidae). These lamprey are found all over the Southern Hemisphere: Australia (including Tasmania), New Zealand, and South America.
Unlike the other Southern Hemisphere species, Geotria australis have eyes that are positioned on the sides of their head and whisker-like appendages around their mouths (fimbriae).
Geotria australis are anadromous. This means that they grow up in freshwater and then they travel to the ocean when they are older. In the ocean they feed and grow for a certain amount of time. Then, when they are older, they will re-enter freshwater to spawn.
Scientists believe G. australis feed on teleost fishes and, possibly, marine mammals (such as sperm whales). However, they are not exactly sure because observations of G. australis when they are feeding are rare.
Mordacia lapicida
is in the family Mordaciidae. These lamprey are only found (endemic) in Chile, South America.
Like all Mordacia, M. lapicida have eyes that are placed toward the top of their heads and do no not have whisker-like appendages (fimbriae) around their mouths. The teeth are slightly different (numbers) in M. lapicida compared to M. mordax and M. praecox.
Mordacia lapicida, like Geotria australis, are anadromous, and, presumably, feed on teleost fishes. However, scientists know extremely little about this species - including what they eat!
Mordacia mordax
is in the family Mordaciidae. These lamprey are found in the south east region of Australia (including Tasmania).
Like all Mordacia, M. mordax have eyes that are placed toward the top of their heads and do no not have whisker-like appendages (fimbriae) around their mouths. The teeth are slightly different (numbers) M. mordax (numbers) compared to M. lapicida.
Mordacia mordax, like M. lapicida and Geotria australis, are anadromous and, presumably, feed on teleost fishes. However, scientists know little about the ocean-stage of this species, including where they go and what they eat.
Mordacia praecox
is in the family Mordaciidae. These lamprey are only recorded from several streams on the East Coast of Australia.
Mordacia praecox, are identical to M. mordax when they are larvae (called ammocoetes), and M. praecox adults only differ in size and life cycle (see below) from M. mordax adults.
Mordacia praecox, unlike the rest of the Southern Hemisphere lamprey, are not thought to feed during their adults stage. It is thought that when M. praecox transition from juveniles to adults that they will skip the ocean-stage and stay in freshwater to spawn.
Scientist know little about M. praecox adult stage, and they know even less about their larvae stage. In fact, larvae of M. praecox have not been identified at all.
Geotria macrostoma
was recently added (2020) as a valid species in the family (Geotriidae). These lamprey are found in the southern countries of South America and the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas. They are commonly called Argentinian lamprey or Patagonian lamprey.
The species G. macrostoma looks different (position of the cloaca and the distance between the second dorsal and caudal fins in sub-adults) and is genetically different than G. australis.
Similar to Geotria australis, G. macrostoma is an anadromous species. This means that they grow up in freshwater and then they travel to the ocean when they are older. In the ocean they feed and grow for a certain amount of time. Then, when they are older, they will re-enter freshwater to spawn.
We are still learning a lot about G. macrostoma. Such as what they eat, where they live, how they reproduce, and where they travel when they are at sea.
Want to learn more? Check out this blog, Facebook page, and references!
Blog
https://blog.theaga.org/behind-the-science-lessons-from-lamprey/
Facebook - New Zealand lamprey monitoring
https://www.facebook.com/NZlamprey/
Geotria/kanakana harvesting/kai video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUeyAYktiuQ&t=659s
Scientific references and reports
Almeida, P.R., Arakawa, H., Aronsuu, K., Baker, C., Blair, S.R., Beaulaton, L., Belo, A.F., Kitson, J., Kucheryavyy, A., Kynard, B. and Lucas, M.C., 2021. Lamprey fisheries: History, trends and management. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 47, pp.S159-S185.
Baker, C.F., Jellyman, D.J., Reeve, K., Crow, S., Stewart, M., Buchinger, T. and Li, W., 2017. First observations of spawning nests in the pouched lamprey (Geotria australis). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 74(10), pp.1603-1611.
Baker, C.F., Rossi, C.R., Quiroga, P., White, E., Williams, P., Kitson, J., Bice, C.M., Renaud, C.B., Potter, I., Neira, F.J. and Baigún, C., 2021. Morphometric and physical characteristics distinguishing adult Patagonian lamprey, Geotria macrostoma from the pouched lamprey, Geotria australis. Plos one, 16(5), p.e0250601.
Brosnahan, C.L., Pande, A., Keeling, S.E., van Andel, M. and Jones, J.B., 2019. Lamprey (Geotria australis; Agnatha) reddening syndrome in Southland rivers, New Zealand 2011–2013: laboratory findings and epidemiology, including the incidental detection of an atypical Aeromonas salmonicida. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 53(3), pp.416-436.
Clemens, B.J., Arakawa, H., Baker, C., Coghlan, S., Kucheryavyy, A., Lampman, R., Lança, M.J., Mateus, C.S., Miller, A., Nazari, H. and Pequeño, G., 2021. Management of anadromous lampreys: Common threats, different approaches. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 47, pp.S129-S146.
Kitson, J., 2014. MAKAREWA RIVER CULTURAL VALUES REPORT.
Kitson, J., Leith, V., Whaanga, D., Hay, J., Quarterman, A., Ledington, S. and Pauling, C., 2012. Kanakana Harvest Mātauranga: potential tools to monitor population trends on the Waikawa River, Southland/Murihiku (a scoping project). Final Report for Nga Pae o Te Maramatanga. Te Ao Marama Inc. Invercargill.
Miller, A.K., 2023. Genomics of pouched lampreys (Geotriidae) for improved management (Doctoral dissertation, University of Otago).
Miller, A.K., Baker, C., Kitson, J.C., Yick, J.L., Manquel, P.E.I., Alexander, A. and Gemmell, N.J., 2021. The southern hemisphere lampreys (Geotriidae and Mordaciidae). Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 31(2), pp.201-232.
Miller, A.K., Brosnahan, C.L., Pande, A., Baker, C.F., Geoghegan, J.L., Kitson, J., Gemmell, N.J. and Dowle, E.J., 2023. Formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) samples help to investigate transcriptomic responses in wildlife disease. Molecular Ecology Resources.
Miller, A.K., Mifsud, J.C., Costa, V.A., Grimwood, R.M., Kitson, J., Baker, C., Brosnahan, C.L., Pande, A., Holmes, E.C., Gemmell, N.J. and Geoghegan, J.L., 2021. Slippery when wet: cross-species transmission of divergent coronaviruses in bony and jawless fish and the evolutionary history of the Coronaviridae. Virus Evolution, 7(2), p.veab050.
Miller, A.K., Timoshevskaya, N., Smith, J.J., Gillum, J., Sharif, S., Clarke, S., Baker, C., Kitson, J., Gemmell, N.J. and Alexander, A., 2022. Population genomics of New Zealand pouched lamprey (kanakana; piharau; Geotria australis). Journal of Heredity, 113(4), pp.380-397.
Morgan, D.L. and Beatty, S., 2023. The Pouched Lamprey (Geotria australis Gray, 1851) in Mediterranean streams of the Southern Hemisphere. Fishes in Mediterranean Environments, 2023.
Nardi, C.F., Sánchez, J., Fernández, D.A., Casalinuovo, M.Á., Rojo, J.H. and Chalde, T., 2020. Detection of lamprey in Southernmost South America by environmental DNA (eDNA) and molecular evidence for a new species. Polar Biology, 43(4), pp.369-383.
Paton, K.R., Cake, M.H., Bird, D.J. and Potter, I.C., 2019. Descriptions of spawning of the pouched lamprey (Geotria australis) in tanks and of morphological changes leading up to and following spawning. Pacific Conservation Biology, 26(3), pp.301-307.
Phillips, R.A., Waluda, C.M. and Miller, A.K., 2023. Distribution, hosts and long-term decline in abundance of the Patagonian lamprey inferred from diet assessment of albatrosses. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, pp.1-22.
Potter, I.C., Hilliard, R.W. and Bird, D.J., 1980. Metamorphosis in the Southern Hemisphere lamprey, Geotria australis. Journal of Zoology, 190(3), pp.405-430.
Riva-Rossi, C., Barrasso, D.A., Baker, C., Quiroga, A.P., Baigún, C. and Basso, N.G., 2020. Revalidation of the Argentinian pouched lamprey Geotria macrostoma (Burmeister, 1868) with molecular and morphological evidence. PLoS One, 15(5), p.e0233792.