Caspian lamprey [SEP] parent taxon
Caspian lamprey
The Caspian lamprey, "Caspiomyzon wagneri", is a species of lamprey native to the Caspian Sea, and a member of the Petromyzontidae family. "Eudontomyzon hellenicus" and "E. graecus" (if separate from "E. hellenicus") also possibly belong in this genus. This species is a non-parasitic lamprey that feeds on animal carcasses.
Description.
The Caspian lamprey is a slim-bodied, eel-like fish that grows to a length of about . The longest recorded specimen was
grey colour.
Distribution.
The Caspian lamprey is an anadromous fish which spends its adult life in the Caspian Sea and migrates up the Volga, Sura, and other rivers to spawn. It was at one time a common fish caught in nets and fish traps in the lower Volga for extracting fish oil and making candles and later for human consumption. In the early 1900s, 15 to 30 million fish were harvested annually from the lower Volga. It is now an uncommon fish because its migratory routes have been disrupted by