Sea Lampreys

[Darwin420]

Hello,

I am developing a policy paper for sea lamprey control in the great lakes, and I wanted to learn more about their anatomy just in case someone in the conference I am having asks a question of that sort.

If you guys have or know of any journals dealing with the sea lampreys anatomy can you post it?

I am mainly curious if they have a spinal chord or just a notochord, I have been trying to find sources about it and trying to understand their significance to evolutionary biology.

If you guys have any info regarding the anatomy or have any knowledge about it please let me know.

I am dead curious.

[tursiopstruncatus]

I found a nice web page by UMASS. It says that they have a spinal column supported by a notochord.

http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.r ... lampr.html

[MichaelXY]

Had to drag out my zoology book. The lamprey of the Glakes is known as the Petromyzon marinus. Known to be very destructive to the Great lakes area. Interesting to note; these landlocked lampreys were first introduced to Lake Erie via Niagra falls around 1913.
Here is one link, and yes they have a notochord.

http://www.fishbase.org/summary/species ... hp?id=2530
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Br ... gi?id=7757

[February Beetle]

Do you mean they still have their notochord in adulthood?

[MrMistery]

They do retain their notochord in adulthood. Why? Have you heard otherwise?