Western Brook Lamprey (Lampetra Richardsoni) Found in a Small Stream on the East Central Coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia
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COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Western Brook Lamprey Lampetra richardsoni Morrison Creek Population in Canada ENDANGERED 2010 COSEWIC status reports are working documents used in assigning the status of wildlife species suspected of being at risk. This report may be cited as follows: COSEWIC. 2010. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Western Brook Lamprey Lampetra richardsoni, Morrison Creek Population, in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. x + 27 pp. (www.sararegistry.gc.ca/status/status_e.cfm). Previous report(s): COSEWIC. 2000. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the Morrison Creek Lamprey Lampetra richardsoni in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. vii + 14 pp. (www.sararegistry.gc.ca/status/status_e.cfm). Beamish, R.J., J.H. Youson and L.A. Chapman. 1999. COSEWIC status report on the Morrison Creek Lamprey Lampetra richardsoni in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. 1-14 pp. Production note: COSEWIC acknowledges Mike Pearson for writing the updated status report on the Western Brook Lamprey, Lampetra richardsoni, prepared under contract with Environment Canada. The contractor’s involvement with the writing of the status report ended with the acceptance of the provisional report. Any modifications to the status report during the subsequent preparation of the 6-month interim and 2- month interim status reports were overseen by Eric Taylor, Freshwater Fishes Specialist Subcommittee Co-chair. Please note: The Western Brook Lamprey Lampetra richardsoni, Morrison Creek Population is also referred to as the Morrison Creek Lamprey. For additional copies contact: COSEWIC Secretariat c/o Canadian Wildlife Service Environment Canada Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Tel.: 819-953-3215 Fax: 819-994-3684 E-mail: COSEWIC/[email protected] http://www.cosewic.gc.ca Également disponible en français sous le titre Ếvaluation et Rapport de situation du COSEPAC sur la lamproie de l'ouest (population du ruisseau Morrison) (Lampetra richardsoni) au Canada. Cover illustration/photo: Western Brook Lamprey — drawing by D.L McPhail adapted from McPhail 2007 by permission. ©Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2010. Catalogue CW69-14/186-2010E-PDF ISBN 978-1-100-15969-0 Recycled paper COSEWIC Assessment Summary Assessment Summary – April 2010 Common name Western Brook Lamprey - Morrison Creek Population Scientific name Lampetra richardsoni Status Endangered Reason for designation This dimorphic population of lamprey is a small freshwater fish endemic to a small stream on eastern Vancouver Island. It is susceptible to habitat loss and degradation owing to its close proximity to a major highway and increasing urbanization in the watershed. Occurrence British Columbia Status history Designated Threatened in April 1999. Status re-examined and designated Endangered in May 2000 and in April 2010. iii COSEWIC Executive Summary Western Brook Lamprey Lampetra richardsoni Morrison Creek Population Wildlife species information Adult Western Brook Lamprey are small (~ 10 cm), elongate, jawless fish that live exclusively in freshwater. They have seven near-circular gill pores on either side of the branchial region, a single nostril atop the head, and a round, disc-like mouth. Paired fins are lacking. The skeleton is formed of cartilage and the blunt teeth of keratin. Typically, adult Western Brook Lamprey do not feed. Larvae (ammocoetes) are 10 to 15 cm long, and worm-like in shape, with a scoop-like oral hood covering a toothless mouth and translucent skin covering developing eyes. A population of Western Brook Lamprey found in Morrison Creek is a dimorphic population and is distinguished from the Western Brook Lamprey by the presence of a unique “marifuga” form as well as “typical” form. The marifuga form can be recognized as distinct from the typical form during a short period of its life cycle by its silver colour, larger size (15 to 18 cm), and tooth counts on the tongue. While both forms feed as larvae, only the marifuga form is able to feed following metamorphosis. The forms are, however, morphologically indistinguishable as ammocoetes. The degree of reproductive isolation between them is uncertain, but genetic data suggest that both forms are part of a single population. The Western Brook Lamprey (Morrison Creek Population) has no commercial value, but ammocoetes may play a major role in stream nutrient cycling. The marifuga form is of scientific interest for its extreme endemism and as a highly unusual example of evolution in lampreys. It has intrinsic value as a unique part of Canada’s biodiversity and for biological education. Distribution Western Brook Lamprey occur in coastal streams from northern California to the Skeena River and Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia. The Western Brook Lamprey (Morrison Creek Population) is endemic to Morrison Creek, a small tributary (890 ha watershed) of the Puntledge River, on the central east coast of Vancouver Island. iv Habitat Little information is available concerning the biology and habitat of the Western Brook Lamprey (Morrison Creek Population). More generally, Western Brook Lamprey nests are typically constructed in shallow, flowing water over sand and gravel substrate. Young ammocoetes are found in mud and silt substrates in shallow pools but move into deeper pools with sand or leaf substrates when larger. Newly metamorphosed adults are typically found beneath rocks or other cover near stream margins during the winter. Morrison Creek is atypical of streams on eastern Vancouver Island, with its extensive headwater wetlands and springs, which provide stable flows of cool water. Logging, land development and highway construction have impacted the watershed historically, although the habitat remains relatively healthy. Less than 5% of the watershed area is currently protected in conservation areas, but the City of Courtenay controls most streamside lands in the lower watershed. Biology The Western Brook Lamprey (Morrison Creek Population) spawns in April and May. Both sexes participate in excavating a small depression. Adults usually spawn in pairs, although group spawning with multiple males and females is also common and different groups may use the same site. All lampreys die after spawning. In other populations of Western Brook Lamprey, eggs hatch within 30 days at 10oC and larvae remain in the gravel for an additional two to three weeks, before emerging at night to be swept downstream, where they burrow into the mud to filter feed on detritus. This ammocoete stage probably lasts from three to seven years. Metamorphosis from ammocoetes to adults begins in July and finishes by October of the same year. Adults usually show the first external signs of sexual maturation in April and complete the process by early May. They spawn and die by June. In Morrison Creek, some ammocoetes metamorphose into the marifuga form, in which sexual maturity is delayed, and a characteristic silver colour with pronounced counter shading is acquired. The new teeth remain sharp and the intestine remains functional, unlike in the typical form. They feed readily on live and dead fishes when held in aquaria, but feeding has never been observed in the wild. The marifuga form is approximately 80% male. In the creek, the marifuga form first appears in traps in late March and the last are caught in mid-August. Both forms are unable to acclimate to sea water and are believed to remain in Morrison Creek for their entire lives. Population sizes and trends No population estimates exist for either the marifuga or typical form of the Western Brook Lamprey (Morrison Creek Population), but there appear to have been no major fluctuations. The marifuga form appears to have been caught less frequently than the typical form. v Limiting factors and threats Forest harvest is declining in the watershed but urban development pressure is increasing. Both may impact Morrison Creek through changes to its flow regime, riparian vegetation loss, sediment deposition and other effects. Assuming the marifuga form does feed within Morrison Creek, declines in Pacific salmon abundance may limit food availability. Although no impacts have been detected to date, a leaking landfill site in the headwaters is a concern. The extremely restricted distribution of Western Brook Lamprey (Morrison Creek Population) exacerbates its vulnerability to all threats. Existing protection As an aquatic species listed as “Endangered” under Schedule 1 of the federal Species at Risk Act, the Western Brook Lamprey (Morrison Creek Population) is protected from harm or capture. The habitat is provided some protection under the federal Fisheries Act. vi TECHNICAL SUMMARY Lampetra richardsoni Western Brook Lamprey - (Morrison Creek population) lamproie de l'ouest (population du ruisseau Morrison) Endemic to Morrison Creek, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Demographic Information Generation time (usually average age of parents in the population; 4 to 9 yrs indicate if another method of estimating generation time indicated in the IUCN guidelines (2008) is being used) Is there an [observed, inferred, or projected] continuing decline in Unknown number of mature individuals? Estimated percent of continuing decline in total number of mature Unknown individuals within [5 years or 2 generations] [Observed, estimated, inferred, or suspected] percent [reduction or Unknown increase] in total number of mature individuals over the last [10 years, or 3