Three varieties of 'vegan Dracula' lampreys found in unlikely places

Scientists have identified three distinct varieties of non-parasitic lampreys in Australia, a discovery that challenges the common perception of these ancient fish as blood-sucking parasites. Nicknamed 'vegan Draculas,' these jawless creatures, measuring around 10 centimeters, sustain themselves by consuming organic matter found on creek beds, rather than preying on other fish.

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There's about 50 lamprey species throughout the planet and most of them are parasitic, they suck onto the side of a fish and either eat some flesh or drink some blood. These guys are non-parasitic so they're kind of like a vegan Dracula.

The Australian brook lamprey (Mordacia praecox) was only officially confirmed as a species in 2024. Aquatic ecologist Luke Carpenter-Bundhoo stumbled upon the species accidentally in 2022 on K'gari while studying the impact of bushfires. "There's about 50 lamprey species throughout the planet and most of them are parasitic... These guys are non-parasitic so they're kind of like a vegan Dracula," Carpenter-Bundhoo explained.

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We kept finding these things just on and off for eight years, and it was fairly obvious then that there was a resident population. They looked quite different as well.

Collaborating with David Moffatt, a principal scientist with Queensland's Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, the researchers have since identified two additional, slightly smaller, unnamed varieties. Moffatt had previously encountered the Queensland species in the Noosa River catchment in 2004 but initially dismissed them as transient. However, consistent sightings over eight years revealed a distinct resident population.

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They're existing in these really fragmented populations so they're quite at risk because these are a freshwater fish. They can't swim out to the ocean and then just pop back into the next creek. They can't go across the land because they're aquatic. If something happens to one of those populations it's kind of a big deal.

These lampreys have been found in surprising locations, from the Sunshine Coast to as far north as Rockhampton. Despite their adaptability in finding habitats, researchers express concern over their fragmented populations. As freshwater fish, they cannot migrate to the ocean or easily traverse land, making isolated populations highly vulnerable. "If something happens to one of those populations it's kind of a big deal," Carpenter-Bundhoo warned. The discovery of these unique lampreys, some listed as endangered, has prompted a $90,000 Queensland government research grant to further study these cryptic and potentially at-risk creatures.

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These animals aren't necessarily in remote locations; they're just very cryptic, and they're very hard to see. We're at the risk of silent extinction, where we have things go extinct that we didn't even know were.