"Satellite species are composed of one parasitic lamprey that gives rise to nonparasitic lamprey species. The Lampetra satellite species of western North America are composed of three species: the anadromous Western River Lamprey (WRL) L. ayresii and two species of freshwater-resident, non-parasitic brook lampreys, the Western Brook Lamprey (WBL) L. richardsoni and Pacific Brook Lamprey (PBL) L. pacifica. The biology of these species has many information gaps, which makes assessing conservation status and identifying conservation actions challenging. We have synthesized the information from the literature to provide an understanding of the biology, threats, monitoring needs, and conservation of the Lampetra species of western North America, focusing on WBL. The three lampreys in the Lampetra satellite species, being small, exhibit relatively weak swimming abilities and undertake short movements within a water body. As such, they may be impacted by passage barriers. Whereas anadromous lampreys are predicted to migrate poleward in a changing climate, WBL and PBL will not be able to readily change their distributions, and so will likely be significantly impacted by climate change, making passage increasingly important for their conservation. Distribution monitoring and studies focused on understanding their spawning migrations and passage requirements will be essential to inform conservation"--Abstract, page v.

This book, published in two volumes, provides the most comprehensive review of lamprey biology since Hardisty and Potter’s “The Biology of Lampreys” published more than 30 years ago. This second volume offers a synthesis of topics related to the lamprey gonad (e.g., lamprey sex ratios, sex determination and sex differentiation, sexual maturation, and sex steroids), the artifical propagation of lampreys, post-metamorphic feeding and the evolution of alternative feeding and migratory types, the history and status of sea lamprey control in the Laurentian Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, and an overview of contributions of lamprey developmental studies for understanding vertebrate evolution.

Two fundamental aspects of lamprey biology were examined to provide tools for population assessment and determination of critical habitat needs of Columbia River Basin (CRB) lampreys (the Pacific lamprey, Lampetra tridentata, and the western brook lamprey, L. richardsoni). We evaluated the usefulness of current diagnostic characteristics for identification of larval lampreys (i.e., pigment patterns) and collected material for development of meristic and morphometric descriptions of early life stage CRB lampreys, and we determined the effects of temperature on survival and development of early life stage CRB lampreys. Thirty-one larval lampreys were collected from locations throughout the CRB and transported to the Columbia River Research Laboratory. Lampreys were sampled at six-week intervals at which time they were identified to the species level based on current diagnostic characteristics. Sampling was repeated until lampreys metamorphosed, at which time species identification was validated based on dentition, or until they died, at which time they were preserved for genetic examination. These lampreys were sampled 30 times with two individuals metamorphosing, both of which were consistently identified, and subsequently validated, as Pacific lampreys. Of the remaining lampreys, only one was inconsistently identified (Pacific lamprey in 83% of the sampling events and western brook lamprey in 17% of the sampling events). These data suggest that pigmentation patterns do not change appreciably through time. In 2001 and 2002 we artificially spawned Pacific and western brook lampreys in the laboratory to provide material for meristic and morphometric descriptions. We collected, digitized, preserved, and measured the mean chorion diameter of Pacific and western brook lamprey embryos. Embryos ranged in development from 1 d post fertilization to just prior to hatch, and were incubated at 14 C. Mean chorion diameter was greater and more variable for Pacific lampreys (mean ± SD; 1.468 ± 0.107 mm, N = 320) than for western brook lampreys (1.237 ± 0.064 mm, N = 280). An unpaired t-test showed that the difference in mean chorion diameter between species was highly significant (t = 32.788, df = 528.62, P

The book provides the most comprehensive review of lamprey biology since Hardisty and Potter’s five-volume “The Biology of Lampreys” published more than 30 years ago. Published in two volumes, it includes contributions from international lamprey experts, reviewing and providing new insights into the evolution, general biology, and management of lampreys worldwide. This first volume offers up-to-date chapters on the systematics, general biology, conservation status, and conservation needs of lampreys. It will serve as an important reference for researchers working on any aspect of lamprey biology and fishery managers whose mandate is to control or conserve lamprey populations.

"Western Brook Lamprey (Lampetra richardsoni), Morrison Creek population is an endangered species, endemic to the Morrison Creek watershed in Courtenay, British Columbia. Despite the risk of extinction the species is currently facing, many knowledge gaps still exist which may limit recovery or conservation efforts. Therefore, basic habitat and biological data were collected in 2021 from lamprey actively spawning in Morrison Creek to help better inform the habitat requirements for nest building and spawning. Specifically, this report documents the conditions under which lamprey were observed nest building or spawning and provides recommendations for future research"--Abstract, page v.

Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) in the Columbia River basin have declined to a remnant of their pre-1940s populations and the status of the western brook lamprey (L. richardsoni) and river lamprey (L. ayresi) is unknown. Identifying the biological and ecological factors limiting lamprey populations is critical to their recovery, but little research has been conducted on these species within the Columbia River basin. This ongoing, multi-year study examines lamprey populations in Cedar Creek, Washington, a third-order tributary to the Lewis River. This annual report describes the activities and results of the third year of this project. Adult (n = 62), metamorphosed (n = 76), transforming (n = 4), and ammocoete (n = 315) stages of Pacific and western brook lamprey were examined in 2002. Lampreys were captured using adult fish ladders, lamprey pots, rotary screw traps, and lamprey electrofishers. In addition, fifty-four spawning ground surveys were conducted during which 124 Pacific lamprey and 13 western brook lamprey nests were identified. Stream gradient of spawning grounds were surveyed to better understand spawning habitat requirements.