Sea Lamprey Petromyzon Marinus, An Exception To The Rule Of Homing In Anadromous Fishes

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Veterinary
Article Date: 21 Aug 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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The dramatic return of salmon to their natal rivers (homing) is commonly thought of as the exemplar of the anadromous life history pattern.

However, parasitic feeding by anadromous sea lamprey should result in their being widely dispersed in the ocean by the movements of their hosts, rendering homing problematic.

Our research shows that sea lamprey exhibit a unique form of anadromy, one in which homing does not occur but instead, "suitable" rivers are identified via chemical communication. Thus, unlike for other anadromous fishes, a sea lamprey born in one river is unlikely to return to that same river to reproduce.

Royal Society journal Biology Letters

Biology Letters publishes short, innovative and cutting-edge research articles and opinion pieces accessible to scientists from across the biological sciences. The journal is characterised by stringent peer-review, rapid publication and broad dissemination of succinct high-quality research communications.

Biology Letters