2-Foot-Long Dead 'Vampire Fish' Found in a Welsh River; Prehistoric Jawless Creature Has Been Around For Centuries

An expert in coastal foraging, Craig Evans, has posted an image of a prehistoric fish commonly found in British rivers, resembling something from a horror movie. Evans, who conducts coastal foraging tours in South West Wales, shared the photo on Instagram after encountering the toothy creature while fishing.

Evans said in an interview that sea lampreys have existed for about 340 million years, can reach 2 feet in length, and use their menacing teeth to feed on larger fish. Despite their nickname 'vampire fish,' these ancient creatures lead a brief life cycle, spawning in spring and dying shortly thereafter.

Terrifying Vampire Fish Serves as a Delicacy in Some Cultures

The formidable mouth of these creatures clings to the fish's side, drawing its blood. This particular one measured about 2 feet long and weighed approximately a kilogram.

These creatures are exclusively capable of navigating swiftly flowing waters without obstructions, with otters being their sole predators. However, even otters are cautious and only dare to consume the 'last few inches of its tail.'

Sea lampreys, parasitic by nature, predominantly inhabit the coastlines of North America, Europe, and the Great Lakes region, residing in the sea until it's time for them to spawn, at which point they migrate upriver.

While Evans, accompanied by his faithful dog Llew, considers these ancient jawless fish a sign of a 'healthy ecosystem,' he acknowledges their eerie appearance may have served as inspiration for science fiction films.

The shared image ignited diverse reactions on social media, with some jesting about nightmares, others expressing terror, and some marveling at the creature's existence in the region.

Regarded as a delicacy in certain regions like Portugal and locally called Lampreira marinha, these fish are esteemed for their eel-like consistency. However, despite their culinary reputation, Evans confessed that he tried the "feeble watery flesh" a few years back and has no intention of tasting it again.

Characteristics of Sea Lampreys

Native to the Atlantic Ocean, the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is characterized by its name's meanings - "sucker of stone" (Petromyzon) and "of the sea" (marinus). Sea lampreys inhabit the eastern coasts of the United States and western Europe, including the Great Lakes, and have maintained their existence since the Paleozoic Era, surviving multiple extinction events.

Remarkably, sea lampreys lack jaws and bony structures, contrasting them from most other fish. Instead, they possess a cartilaginous framework, a sizable oral disk equipped with sharp, horn-shaped teeth, and a toothed tongue, enabling them to attach to hosts, rasp holes in their sides, and feed on their blood.

The sea lamprey undergoes a multifaceted life cycle encompassing four distinct phases: egg, larvae, during which they engage in filter feeding, juvenile, characterized by parasitic behavior, and adult, when they engage in spawning activities.

During their parasitic stage, sea lampreys feed on other fish by attaching to hosts with their oral suction disk and hooked teeth that embed in the flesh and rasp holes using their tongue's cutting edges.

Lastly, larval vampire fish develop in silt-rich streams with sand and detritus components, often featuring surface cover from woody debris or aquatic plants; while parasitic sea lampreys attach to and feed on fish in lake and ocean environments.