What is a lamprey bite?

A lamprey bite refers to the wound made by a lamprey. A lamprey is a parasitic fish that feeds by attaching itself to its victims with its mouth and then boring a hole in the flesh of its host. The wound caused from this feeding process is characteristically round.

The lamprey can reach over 3 feet in length, and it is commonly called a lamprey eel. It has two dorsal fins and one caudal (tail) fin. Lampreys do not have scales like fish, but rather have a rubber textured skin that secrets a kind of mucus that makes the animal exceptionally slippery. The fish's round mouth contains a tongue and circular rows of tiny, sharp teeth.