sea lamprey
Jawless sucker fish
A sea lamprey is a primitive, eel-like fish with a jawless, sucker-like mouth lined with sharp teeth.
It attaches to other fish and feeds on their blood and body fluids—a parasitic relationship that has devastated fish populations in the Great Lakes since the species invaded in the early 20th century.
Elongated and sinuous
- jawlessWithout a mandible
- cartilaginousComposed of flexible connective tissue
- scalelessLacking epidermal plates
- elongatedStretched beyond usual dimensions
serpentine · sinuous · slippery · cylindrical · undulating · funnel-shaped · keratinous · larval
Early complex-life epoch
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- primitiveIn earliest form
- living-fossilUnchanged ancient species
- evolutionaryPertaining to gradual biological change
Devonian · ancestor · ancient · lineage · hagfish · oldest · unchanged · prehistoric
Organism feeding on plasma
- hostOne receiving guests
- attachmentConnection or fondness
- woundCoiled, or an injury
- scarringPermanent mark formation
anticoagulant · rasping · predation · infestation · blood-feeding · secretion · enzyme · salmon
Migrating upstream to breed
- spawningReleasing eggs to reproduce
- migrationMovement to new territory
- larvaeImmature metamorphosing creatures
- nestAnimal-built shelter for young
upstream · tributary · stream · gravel · hatching · burrowing · transformation · adult
Not indigenous here
- pestHarmful creature or nag
- controlAuthority to direct
- managementOrganizing and directing resources
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
trap · eradication · introduced · assessment · monitoring
eel-like
Elongated and sinuous
- jawlessWithout a mandible
- cartilaginousComposed of flexible connective tissue
- scalelessLacking epidermal plates
elongated · serpentine · sinuous · slippery · cylindrical · undulating · funnel-shaped · keratinous · larval · metamorphosis
Paleozoic
Early complex-life epoch
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- primitiveIn earliest form
- living-fossilUnchanged ancient species
evolutionary · Devonian · ancestor · ancient · lineage · hagfish · oldest · unchanged · prehistoric · survival
bloodsucker
Organism feeding on plasma
- hostOne receiving guests
- attachmentConnection or fondness
- woundCoiled, or an injury
scarring · anticoagulant · rasping · predation · infestation · blood-feeding · secretion · enzyme · salmon · whitefish
anadromous
Migrating upstream to breed
- spawningReleasing eggs to reproduce
- migrationMovement to new territory
- larvaeImmature metamorphosing creatures
nest · upstream · tributary · stream · gravel · hatching · burrowing · transformation · adult · oceanic
non-native
Not indigenous here
- pestHarmful creature or nag
- controlAuthority to direct
- managementOrganizing and directing resources
barrier · trap · eradication · introduced · assessment · monitoring
sea lampreylake trout
Coldwater freshwater char species
prey species · salmon · native fish · walleye · sturgeon
sea, seas, seaward, seafarer, seafaring, seabed, seashore, seaside, seascape