IV. Rhode Island Species 



Class AGNATHA Jawless Fishes 



Subclass CYCLOSTOMATA 

 Order PETROMYZON IDA 



Family Petromyzonidae 

 Genus Petromyzon 



(1) Petromyzon marinus Linnaeus 1758 

 Sea lamprey, lamper eel, stone sucker 



Specimens: (PLATE 1) 



Two, 8.5 and 11 inches (TL)* were taken in an otter trawl three 

 miles SE of Watch Hill on January 21, 1953 with a catch of sea 

 herring and alewives. S. B. Saila reports finding one ammocoete of 

 this species in Abbott's Run in Cumberland during the spring of 

 1955. Tracy mentioned that ripe lampreys were taken in Taunton 

 River during the latter part of May, 1898. 



Economic Importance: 



Virtual destruction of the lake trout fishery in the Great Lakes 

 is due to this species. In Rhode Island waters it is relatively rare 

 and of little importance. The flesh is edible and the larval forms are 

 sometimes used as bait. 



Class CHONDRICHTHYES Cartilaginous Fishes 



Subclass ELASMOBRANCFII1 

 Order SELACHII 



Family Carchariidae 

 Genus Carcharias 



(2) Carcharias taurus Rafinesque 1810 



Dogfish shark, sand shark, ground shark, sand tiger 



* total length 



