5. Lampreys
Are a family of jawless
fish, whose adults are
characterized by a toothed,
funnel-like sucking mouth.
Translated from a mixture of Latin and
Greek, lamprey means stone lickers
(lambere: to lick, and petra: stone).
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6. In zoology, lampreys are sometimes not
considered to be true fish because of their
distinctive morphology and physiology.
The lampreys are the basal group of
Vertebrata (hagfishes are actually not
vertebrates, but craniates).
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7. Morphology
Adults physically resemble eels, in that
they have no scales, and can range anywhere
from 13 to 100 centimeters (5 to 40 inches)
long. Lacking paired fins, adult lampreys have
large eyes, one nostril on the top of the head,
and seven gill pores on each side of the head.
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8. Curiosity
Lampreys are called
"nine-eyed eels" (i.e., per
side) from a counting of
their seven external gill
slits on a side with one eye
and the nostril. A German
word for lamprey
is Neunauge, which means
"nine-eye". 8
9. What do they eat?
They feed on prey as adults by attaching
their mouthparts to the target animal's body,
then using their teeth to cut through surface
tissues until they reach blood and body fluid.
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10. Where do they live?
Lampreys live mostly in coastal and fresh
waters, although some species, travel
significant distances in the open ocean, as
evidenced by their lack of reproductive
isolation between populations.
They are found in most temperate regions
except those in Africa.
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11. Uses: «Portuguese lamprey rice»
They were highly appreciated by
ancient Romans. Their taste is much meatier
than that of most true fish. King Henry I of
England is said to have died from eating "a
surfeit of lampreys". On March 4th, 1953, Queen
Elizabeth's coronation pie was made by
the Royal Air Force using lampreys.
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13. Especially in southwestern Europe (Portugal,
Spain, and France), larger lampreys are still a
highly prized delicacy. Lampreys are also
consumed in Sweden, Finland, Russia, the Baltic
countries and South Korea. In Britain, lampreys
are commonly used as bait, normally as dead
bait. Pike, perch and chub all can be caught on
lampreys. Frozen lampreys can be bought from
most bait and tackle shops.
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14. DAMS and ENDAGERED SPECIES
Rivers possess a delicate ecology that depends on
a regular cycle of disturbance within certain
tolerances. Dams disrupt this ecology.
There are several types of dams.
Check dams
Diversion dams
Flood control dams
Hydroelectric dams
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15. - Check dams prevent flooding of small areas.
- Diversion dams divert river water to irrigate
crops. Large dams may be built for flood control or
electrical generation, or both.
- Flood control dams are often earth dams--
made of huge mounds of clay, sand, gravel, and
rock--but often made of concrete.
- Hydroelectric dams are concrete marvels of
engineering. This section will examine mostly the
large dams: flood control and hydroelectric dams.
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