Lumpenus lampretaeformis (Walbaum, 1792)
Snakeblenny
Lumpenus lampretaeformis
photo by Svensen, E.

 Family:  Stichaeidae (Pricklebacks), subfamily: Lumpeninae
 Max. size:  50 cm TL (male/unsexed)
 Environment:  demersal; depth range 30 - 373 m, non-migratory
 Distribution:  North Atlantic: Spitsbergen southward to Scandinavian coasts, North Sea, southern part of the Baltic, the Faroes, Iceland and south-eastern coasts of Greenland. Elsewhere, western coasts of Greenland; also, Labrador and Newfoundland to Massachusetts Bay (subspecies Lumpenus lumpretaeformis serpentinus Storer, Ref. 51666).
 Diagnosis:  Elongated, eel-like fish with a pointed caudal fin. A single dorsal fin extends almost throughout the entire length of the body. The anal fin covers about two-thirds of the total length. Pale brown dorsally, becoming bluish on the sides, and greenish-yellow ventrally. There are numerous irregular brown patches on the body (Ref. 35388).
 Biology:  A benthic species (Ref. 58426), living in Y-shaped tubes in the mud in 50-200 m depth (Ref. 35388). The burrows are believed to be used for parental care of the eggs (Ref. 80819) . Feeds on small crustaceans, mollusks, brittle stars and worms (Ref. 5204). Matures at 3 years with about 20 cm length. Spawning takes place in December - January, 1,000 eggs are laid on the sea floor, in deep water (Ref. 35388). Isolated population in the Baltic Sea is probably a relict from the last ice age (Ref. 35388) that reached the Baltic Sea during the early saltwater stage of the sea (Ref. 82152; 82153).
 IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated  (Ref. 96402)
 Threat to humans:  harmless
 Country info:   
 

 Entered by: Luna, Susan M. - 17.10.90
 Modified by: Opitz, Silvia - 01.02.12
 Checked by: Froese, Rainer - 13.06.02

Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.


Page created by Jen, 05.08.02, php script by kbanasihan 06/09/2010 ,  last modified by dsantos, 20/08/10