Identification
An elongated body can make a lamprey look eel-like, but the adult has a round oral disc rather than an eel’s jaws. Larvae, called ammocoetes, have a hooded mouth suited to filtering and remain buried in fine sediment.
Size and Weight
Adults commonly measure 13.5–20.8 cm in an Ontario species account. Exceptional adults measuring up to 35.4 cm have been reported in the literature. The listed maximum weight of 78 g comes from a separate account and is not the measured weight of that longest fish.
Habitat and Feeding
Larvae use sandy or silty areas and consume suspended or deposited microscopic food. Adults move into coarser stream habitat for spawning. Keeping both sediment beds and flowing gravel habitat available supports different stages of the life cycle.
Observation and Conservation
This is not presented as a sport-fishing target. Identification matters because a small brook lamprey should not be mistaken for an invasive Sea Lamprey simply because both have an elongated body.
Years Hidden in the Streambed
Most of its life is spent as a filter-feeding larva. Adults are generally described as nonparasitic and nonfeeding, although unusually large specimens have prompted researchers to discuss possible exceptions. The usual life cycle ends after spawning.
All Lakes With American Brook Lamprey
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed American Brook Lamprey records in our database, listed alphabetically.
Showing 1–4 of 4 lakes · Page 1 of 1
- Fitzek Lake Otsego, MI
- Lake Michigan Mason, IL
- Lake Michigan Lake, IN
- Torch Lake Antrim, MI