In late May, we had an unexpected visitor at the Hoy Creek Hatchery—a Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata)—and not in the usual way! It dropped straight out of the sky onto our lower pond wall. Turns out, a local crow had let it slip mid-flight, likely intending it as a future snack. We quickly stepped in to scoop up the lamprey, rescuing it before the crow could reclaim its lunch.

Curious and excited, we saw an opportunity to observe this mysterious creature up close. We set it up in an aquarium, complete with creek sand, pebbles, and a bubbler to ease it into a comfortable setting—a little more “home” than a bare glass box. With a bit of sympathy, we gave this peculiar, squirmy guest a name: Larry.

Imagine our surprise the next day when Larry began a curious shimmy and shake, revealing tiny white eggs! Our Larry was actually Larissa! With this discovery, Larissa earned her place in our records and, ultimately, in our specimen collection. Being an anadromous species like salmon, Lampetra tridentata die after spawning, so this incredible creature is now preserved with us.

Larissa, a distant relative of the shark, continues to amaze us even in her preserved form—a rare, close-up look at one of nature’s fascinating wonders.

NOTE: Should you attend one of our open houses, be sure to ask to see Larissa

“Click video and watch on full screen for best view of eggs coming from Larissa!”