BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report
Lampetra richardsoni pop. 1
Western Brook Lamprey (Morrison Creek Population)
| Scientific Name: | Lampetra richardsoni pop. 1 |
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| English Name: | Western Brook Lamprey (Morrison Creek Population) |
| Provincial Status Summary | |
| Status: | S1 |
| Date Status Assigned: | March 09, 2000 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | May 15, 2019 |
| Reasons: | No other populations of this species exist anywhere else in the world. Due to its restricted distribution and threatened habitat, this polymorphic species is rare and may be in danger of extinction. |
| Range | |
| Range Extent: | A = <100 square km |
| Range Extent Estimate (km2): | 9 |
| Range Extent Comments: | Only known from the Morrison Creek watershed (9.3 km2), on Vancouver Island (COSEWIC 2010j). No other varieties of lamprey similar to this one have ever been reported anywhere in the world. |
| Area of Occupancy Estimate (km2): | 8 |
| Linear Distance of Occupancy: | B = 5-10 |
| Area of Occupancy Comments: | The distribution within Morrison Creek is poorly known; the creek flows for approximately 8 km before it joins the Puntledge River, which flows into the Straight of Georgia (COSEWIC 2010j). The headwaters consist of 90 ha of wetlands joined by 19 km of stream channel (Morrison Creek Streamkeepers 2005). The area of occupancy is 8 km2 using a 1km x 1 km overlaid grid, and 12 km2, using a 2km x 2km overlaid grid (COSEWIC 2010j). |
| Occurrences & Population | |
| Number of Occurrences: | A = 1 - 5 |
| Comments: | A polymorphic population consisting of the more common non-parasitic form and an unusual non-anadromous parasitic form known to occur only in Morrison Creek, on Vancouver Island. |
| Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | A = None (zero) |
| Comments: | Development pressure in the area has resulted in habitat degradation (Beamish et al. 2001). |
| Number of Occurrences Appropriately Protected & Managed: | A = None |
| Comments: | Neither the stream or the adjacent land is in a protected area. |
| Population Size: | U = Unknown |
| Comments: | "No population estimates exist for either marifuga or typical L. richardsoni in Morrison Creek, and none are possible given existing data. The marifuga form has been reported to be caught less frequently than typical spawning stage L. richardsoni (Beamish and Withler 1986; J. Palmer pers. comm. 2008)." (COSEWIC 2010j). |
| Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected) | |
| Degree of Threat: | B = High |
| Comments: | From COSEWIC 2010j: "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." |
| Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences) | |
| Short-Term Trend: | U = Unknown |
| Comments: | Unknown (COSEWIC 2010j); however, probably stable until residential development began encroaching on the mainstem resulting in habitat changes; another recent concern is the short-term and long-term effects of highway construction on fish habitat in Morrison Creek (Beamish et al. 2001). |
| Long-Term Trend: | U = Unknown |
| Other Factors | |
| Intrinsic Vulnerability: | C=Not intrinsically vulnerable |
| Comments: | Ability to vary its life history and produce both parasitic and non-parasitic forms should make them less vulnerable. |
| Environmental Specificity: | AB=Very narrow to narrow. |
| Comments: | Inferred from extremely restricted distribution. |
| Other Rank Considerations: | Genetic and morphological evidence indicate that the two forms (parasitic and non-parasitic) belong to a single species complex. It is not known if they breed as independent species lines. |
| Information Gaps | |
| Research Needs: | |
| Inventory Needs: | Reliable population estimates and trend information are high priorities. Knowledge of the specific habitat characteristics required to support this polymorphic population is lacking. |
| Stewardship | |
| Protection: | |
| Management: | |
| Version | |
| Author: | Gelling, L. |
| Date: | May 15, 2019 |
| References | |
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Beamish, R.J., J.H. Youson, and L.A. Chapman. 2001. Status of the Morrison Creek Western Brook Lamprey, Lampetra richardsoni, in Canada. Can. Field-Nat. 115(4):573-578.
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Beamish, R.J., J.H.Youson, and L.A. Chapman. 2000. COSEWIC Status Report on Morrison Creek Lamprey, (Lampetra richardsoni). Comm. on the Status of Endangered Wildli. in Can. 16pp.
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Morrison Creek Streamkeepers. March 2005. Morrison Creek Watershed Headwaters Section. Online. Available: http://www.morrisoncreek.org/hwater.
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for information on how the CDC determines conservation status ranks. For global conservation status reports and ranks, please visit the NatureServe website http://www.natureserve.org/.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2019. Conservation Status Report: Lampetra richardsoni pop. 1. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jan 24, 2025).