Mordacia mordax
| Short-headed lamprey | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Infraphylum: | Agnatha |
| Superclass: | Cyclostomi |
| Class: | Petromyzontida |
| Order: | Petromyzontiformes |
| Family: | Mordaciidae |
| Genus: | Mordacia |
| Species: | M. mordax |
| Binomial name | |
| Mordacia mordax (J. Richardson, 1846) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Mordacia mordax, known as the short-headed lamprey, Australian lamprey or Murray lamprey, is a species of Mordacia that lives in south-eastern Australia and Tasmania. Mordaciidae is made up of three species: M. praedox, M. mordax, and M. lapicida. M. mordax is a relatively rare, parasitic vertebrate and, along with the hagfishes, is part of the only surviving group of jawless organisms throughout vertebrate evolution. It has a thin eel-like body up to 50 cm (20 in) long, with two low dorsal fins on the back half. The skin is blue-gray or brown. Its eyes are small, and located on the top of its head.