Chestnut lamprey

The chestnut lamprey has a maximum length of around , with a tan to yellowish-olive hue above, the sides, belly, and fin lighter. The jawless mouth expands wider than the head, with many firm slender teeth, typically 4 lateral bicuspids on both sides of the innermost row, in front of which are 6–11 sharp cusps, and 2–3 anterior to the mouth. The eggs are then covered with a rock, presumably to shade the young lampreys at birth and to keep any predators from devouring the young. and the two have been termed a paired species. Similar species include the parasitic relatives Ichthyomyzon bdellium, I. greeleyi, and I. unicuspis. ==Distribution and habitat==

The range of the chestnut lamprey extends from Lake Winnipeg and the Hudson Bay down the Mississippi River to the Central and Eastern United States; this includes any large lakes or reservoirs where large host fish are present. In Canada, the chestnut lamprey has been found in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. Larvae can be found in pools and backwater over sand and sandy mud. ==Ecology==

Adults are parasitic and feed on other fish by clamping to their side with their suctorial mouths and creating a wound with their teeth to obtain body fluids. Observation of this species has revealed that they are primarily a nocturnal animal and they seek out shade during daylight. These lampreys may be beneficial to the rivers and lakes, due to their natural control of local fish populations. Human populations can pose threats to these animals through pollution, siltation, and dredging. Larval lamprey must filter feed for numerous years and are vulnerable to changes in their environment during this time. For instance, larval lampreys will starve if large particulate matter regularly block their mouths. ==References==