Sea Lamprey?

Question

1. What adaptations does the sea lamprey possess that helps it live and survive in its native environment?

2. In its native environment, what environmental factors limited the growth of the population of the sea lamprey?

3. How does thte genetic makeup of the sea lamprey in its introduced environment might be different from the genetic makeup of the sea lamprey in its native environment?

4. How has the sea lamprey affected other organisms in its new evironment?

5. How does the genetic makeup of the native populations change in response to the sea lamprey?

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Answer 1

Sea Lamprey?

1. What adaptations does the sea lamprey possess that helps it live and survive in its native environment?

They prey on a wide variety of fish by attaching themselves with their mouths to the skin of a fish and rasping away tissue with its tongue and teeth. Secretions in the lamprey's mouth prevent the victim's blood from clotting. Victims typically die from blood loss or infection. They also have a very high tolerance to iron overload, and have evolved biochemical defenses to detoxify this metal.

2. In its native environment, what environmental factors limited the growth of the population of the sea lamprey?

The sea lamprey is preyed upon by birds, fish, and mammals, especially seals and sea lions. Their larvae have a low tolerance for high water temperatures, which is probably the reason that they are not found in the tropics.

3. How does the genetic makeup of the sea lamprey in its introduced environment might be different from the genetic makeup of the sea lamprey in its native environment?

Unless the populations become isolated from oneanother the genetic make up of both populations should be similar. If they become isolated the specific changes that might occur are unclear.

4. How has the sea lamprey affected other organisms in its new evironment?


They have created a problem with their aggressive parasitism on key predator species and game fish, such as lake trout, whitefish, chub, and lake herring. Elimination of these predators allowed the alewife, another invasive species, to explode in population, having adverse effects on many native fish species.

5. How does the genetic makeup of the native populations change in response to the sea lamprey?

I could not find any information to answer this question.