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Antique illustration of the European river lamprey. Vintage illustration of the European river lamprey. Antique picture of the European river lamprey. Adult river lampreys measure from 25 to 40 cm & x28;10 to 16 in& x29; for the sea-going forms and up to 28 cm & x28;11 in& x29; for the lake forms. The very elongate body is a uniform dark grey above, lightening to yellowish off-white on the sides and pure white below. Like all lampreys, these fish lack paired fins and possess a circular sucking disc instead of jaws. They have a single nostril and seven small breathing holes on either side behind the eye. The teeth are sharp and these fish can be told from the rather smaller brook lamprey & x28;Lampetra planeri& x29; by the fact that the two dorsal fins are more widely separated. The European river lamprey is found in coastal waters around almost all of Europe from the north-west Mediterranean Sea north to the lakes of Finland, Scotland, Norway & x28;Mj sa& x29;, Wales & x28;Cors Caron& x29;, and Russia, including rivers in the Alps especially in Nakkila, Finland, European river lampreys are a traditional local delicacy. Initially, in 1996, its conservation status was rated near threatened but since 2008 it has been rated as being of least concern following recovery of populations after pollution problems in central and western Europe. An assessment for the Baltic Sea published in 2014, however, classified the river lamprey as Near Threatened in this region. In August 2018, Spain declared it officially extinct in its territory.