Mordacia lapicida

Mordacia lapicida, also known as the Chilean lamprey, is a species of southern topeyed lamprey endemic to southern Chile, where it can be found in riverine and marine habitats. This species is anadromous. This parasitic lamprey can reach a length of 54 centimetres (21 in) SL. Ammocoetes and adults of this species are found in rivers, and occur in fine sand along river banks.^[3] The life cycle of a Mordacia lapicida is divided into three life stages: freshwater rearing, an ocean parasite and an adult spawning stage.^[4] Once in the adult stage, individuals migrate into marine waters where they attack and attach themselves to marine fishes.^[5] For this species, metamorphosis occurs during August and March.^[6]

Mordacia lapicida
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Infraphylum:	Agnatha
Class:	Petromyzontida
Order:	Petromyzontiformes
Family:	Mordaciidae
Genus:	Mordacia
Species:	M. lapicida
Binomial name
Mordacia lapicida (J. E. Gray, 1851)
Synonyms[2]
Caragola lapicida J. E. Gray, 1851 Petromyzon anwandteri Philippi 1863 Petromyzon acutidens Philippi 1865

References

1. Colin, N. (2023). "Mordacia lapicida". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T13852A176561424. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T13852A176561424.en. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Family Mordaciidae". FishBase. May 2017 version. 680.
3. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Mordacia lapicida". FishBase. April 2013 version.
4. Quintella, B.R (2021). "At-sea feeding ecology of parasitic lampreys". Journal of Great Lakes Research. 47: S72 – S89. Bibcode:2021JGLR...47S..72Q. doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2021.07.008. hdl:10174/31175. S2CID 238706584.
5. Miller, Allison (March 2021). "The Southern Hemisphere Lampreys (Geotriidae and Mordaciidae)". Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 31 (2): 201–232. Bibcode:2021RFBF...31..201M. doi:10.1007/s11160-021-09639-x. S2CID 233676907.
6. Lampreys of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of lamprey species known to date.