28 



FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



Class MARSIP03RANCHII. The Pouch-gilled Animals. 



Order HYPEROARTII. The Hyperoartians. 



Family PETROMYZONTID E. The Lampreys. 



Oviparous, eel-like vertebrates, with circular, toothed mouth adapted for 

 sucking, nostril on top of head in front of eyes, 7 gill-openings on each side of 

 the body anteriorly, no scales, dorsal fin notched or divided and continuous with 

 anal fin around the tail. The young differ considerably from the adults, having 

 rudimentary eyes, and being usually toothless; they were for a long time regarded 

 as belonging to different genera. Some of the American species are marine, 

 some are strictly fresh-water, and some are anadromous. They attach them- 

 selves to fishes, make ulcers or holes in their sides, and suck their blood. One 

 species is found in North Carolina. 



Genus PETROMYZON Linnaeus. Sea Lampreys. 



Large anadromous lampreys, distinguished by tooth-like processes on what 

 corresponds to the upper and lower jaws of fishes, the superior teeth 2 or 3 in 

 number, pointed, and close together; the large sucking disk with numerous 

 teeth in concentric lines; parts of dorsal fin separated. (Petromyzon, stone -snckeT.) 



2. PETROMYZON MARINUS Linnaeus. 

 "Laniprus Eel" ; "Lamprey Eel" ; "Lamprey"; Sea Lamprey. 



Petromyzon mariniis Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, ed. x, 230, 1758; European seas. Jordan & Evermann, 

 1896, 10. pi. i, fig. 3. 



Diagnosis. — -Head long, its length greater than distance between first and last gill- 

 openings; eye nearer to first gill-opening than to anterior end of head; inouth large, with 

 numerous conical teeth in oblique rows; lips fringed; dorsal fins low and well separated. 

 Color: back and sides slaty brown, sharply mottled with black; below white or pale yellow. 

 (marinus, marine.) 



Fig. 3. Se.\ L.wiprey. Petromyzon marinus. 



Inhabits the coasts of the North Atlantic Ocean, ranging as far south as 

 North Carolina, going from the sea to the rivers to spawn. The species ascends 

 some of the North Carolina streams in spring along with shad and alewives, but 

 is less abundant than in more northern waters. It has been observed by the 

 writer in Albemarle Sound at Avoca, where larval lampreys (Ammoccetes) 6 or 8 

 inches long and adults 2 to 3 feet long are caught in shad seines. It is also 

 known from the Neuse at Kinston, and at Raleigh, where l\Ir. C. S. Brimley 

 reports it as rare, the adults being observed in April and the young in June. The 



