Petromyzonti (lampreys) >
Petromyzontiformes (Lampreys) >
Petromyzontidae (Northern lampreys) > Petromyzontinae
Etymology: Petromyzon: petra (Gr.), rock or stone; myzon (Gr.), to suck, referring to their suctorial behavior (adults attach to rocks during nest building and mating). (See ETYFish); marinus: Latin for “of the sea,” referring to its marine habitat (as a non-breeding adult) [see box, next page]. (See ETYFish).
More on author: Linnaeus.