Adult Non-parasitic Lamprey's have a typical lamprey, eel-like, long slender body, with two low dorsal fins near the tail. The Non-parasitic Lamprey is entirely a freshwater species, completing its life cycle in rivers and never migrating to brackish or marine systems and is found exclusively in the freshwater lower reaches of a few coastal rivers.

Threats

The impacts of the various threats to the Non-parasitic Lamprey do not exist in isolation, but interact and can compound each other. For example, climate change is resulting in more frequent and severe droughts and heatwaves, leading to more intense bushfires. When followed by extreme rainfall events (also becoming more frequent), aquatic fauna can be severely impacted. Compounding the ongoing threats associated with climate change, past and present land management practices (mining, agriculture, urbanisation) likely have already impacted the precocious lamprey in a number of areas.

Quollity Conservation Hub's Vulnerability Score:

44

To help compare the relative vulnerability of different species, we have developed a scoring system based on biological and ecological characteristics that influence a species' ability to survive and recover from environmental change and natural disasters.

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The framework is adapted from assessment methods used by conservation experts following the Black Summer bushfires to help identify species most in need of conservation action, research, and recovery funding.

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Each species is assessed using a range of factors, including its conservation status, lifespan, reproductive rate, habitat and dietary requirements, ability to disperse or recover after fire, and the number and severity of threats it faces.

In general, the higher a species' score, the greater its overall vulnerability and risk of decline or extinction.

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Like all conservation assessments, this scoring system is limited by the information currently available. Many threatened species remain poorly studied and receive limited research funding, meaning some assessments rely on the best available scientific knowledge or information from closely related species. As new research becomes available, scores may be updated to reflect our improved understanding.