NANFA-- FW: Lamprey Bites

Jay DeLong (thirdwind_at_att.net)
Tue, 31 Jul 2001 16:00:07 -0700

-----Original Message-----
From: kevin_aitkin_at_r1.fws.gov
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2001 3:25 PM
To: sytsmam_at_pdx.edu
Cc: thirdwind_at_att.net
Subject: Lamprey Bites

Mark,

Below is a quote from a species account on sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
found on page 74 of Scott and Crossman (1973).

"In the Great Lakes the sea lamprey has been known to attach itself to long
distance swimmers but is quickly and easily dislodged. It will not attach
itself to humans until long submersion has lowered skin temperature. At
this point it will attach itself and begin to rasp. No human has
apparently been willing to see if it would continue to the point of
feeding. It would no doubt do so, as the Pacific lamprey, Entosphenus
tridentatus, has been recorded found attached to warm-blooded, marine
mammals."

In the pacific lamprey account on page 45, the authors cite Pike (1951)
when discussing lamprey bites on marine mammals.

Pike G.C. 1951. Lamprey marks on whales. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 8(4):
275-280.

Scott, W. B., and E. J. Crossman. 1973. Freshwater Fishes of Canada.
Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin 184.

Kevin

-- 
Jay DeLong
Olympia, WA
"It is horrifying that we have to fight 
our own government to save the environment."  
~Ansel Adams

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