Current Understanding of Pheromone Communication in the Sea Lamprey

The sea lamprey invaded the Great Lakes during the early 1900s and helped cause the devastating collapse of their fish communities.  Since the 1960s, sea lampreys have been suppressed through an aggressive and highly successful control program and much research has been conducted to better understand and exploit their biology and ecology for control purposes.  Results of this research has led to a better understanding of sea lamprey chemosensory communication, particularly in adults looking for suitable spawning habitats and mates.  Specifically, potent reproductive pheromones have been identified including (i) a migratory pheromone released by larvae that signals to adults the suitability of a stream for spawning, (ii) a sex pheromone released by sexually mature males that signals to females a males readiness to mate, and, (iii) an alarm cue that is released from dead sea lampreys that may signal predatory danger or that an area is not suitable for reproduction.  Reproductive pheromones and the alarm cue play a critical role for the sea lamprey as adults die shortly after spawning.  The ability to use these cues to disrupt or facilitate reproduction may greatly improve sea lamprey control in the Great Lakes or aid in restoration efforts in their native range.