Silver Lamprey

The silver lamprey, or Ichthyomyzon unicuspis, is a lamprey found commonly in the Northern and Central United States and a large part of southern Canada. Its binomial name means "fish to suck" in Greek and "one point" in Latin. The silver lamprey is a member of the Class Agnatha, sometimes referred to as cyclostomes (round-mouths). Other common names include: Bloodsucker, Blue Lamprey, Hitch-hiker, Lamper, Lamprey Eel. The silver lamprey should not to be confused with the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) which has caused considerable damage to native fish stocks in the Great Lakes region.