'Vampire Fish' Found in Potomac

Scare headline at Da Mail, Invasive 'vampire fish' is captured in Virginia river - and experts say its presence is a good sign

A parasitic ‘vampire fish’ has been spotted in a Virginia river that is rarely seen by humans and while it is invasive, experts said it's a good sign.

An Alexandria local pulled what is called a sea lamprey from the Potomac River with his bare hands and tossed the nearly two-foot-long eel-like creature onto dry land.

The fish gets the nickname for its sucker-like mouth and pointed teeth, which it uses to
latch onto its victim and feed on their bodily fluids - sometimes feasting for weeks.

The Potomac River has been long polluted and government agencies have taken steps to clean it up, making the lamprey's appearance a sign that the pollution is finally ebbing away because the creature is sensitive to toxins .

Sea lampreys are an invasive species initially native to the Atlantic Ocean, but they invaded the Great Lakes in the 1800s through manmade canals and shipping docks.

The population started growing in the Potomac in 2002, which experts believed was a positive sign for the river.

‘The resurgence of sea lamprey is another indication that water quality is getting better,’ Jim Cummins, the then-associate director for the Living Resources Section told the Potomac Bay Reporter at the time.

‘Sea lamprey are fairly sensitive to pollution.’

The 23-year-old man posted an Instagram video of him catching the vampire fish, claiming it was ‘the first sea lamprey caught in the Potomac River.’

The fish migrate from the Chesapeake Bay to the freshwater river each year to lay their eggs, which suggests this is not the first sighting.

Yep, Sea Lampreys are native to the region, and are occasionally found on other fish when caught, including Striped Bass. I haven't seen one here, but I know of people who have. They're not our biggest concern.  

Apparently, they were considered good eating in Medieval Europe:

Lampreys are a primative non-boney, jawless fish. What they are calling the spinal nerve is likely the structure arcualia, which includes the notochord, the spinal nerve and surrounded by protective cartilage.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Outstanding In Her Field garnering clicks at The Other McCain.