About Lampetra planeri (Bloch, 1784)
This species, known as the brook lamprey, has the scientific name Lampetra planeri (Bloch, 1784). It is a common non-parasitic species endemic to Europe. Adult brook lampreys reach a length of 12 to 14 cm (4.7 to 5.5 in). Their bodies are highly elongated, with dark blue or greenish coloration on the upper side that lightens to yellowish off-white on the sides, and pure white on the ventral side. Like all lampreys, brook lampreys lack paired fins and do not have jaws; instead, they have a circular sucking disc filled with blunt teeth. They have one single nostril and seven small gill openings on each side, located behind the eye. This species can be distinguished from the closely related river lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis, by the closer connection between its two dorsal fins. Brook lampreys inhabit small streams and larger rivers. Their distribution covers all of northern Europe, and also extends to Portugal, southern France, Italy, Sardinia, the Balkans, and the upper reaches of the Volga.
