In what Marine biologists in California have to now reclassify as a significant discovery, two potential new species of lamprey, an ancient lineage of jawless fish, have been documented stealthily sliding through the state's waters. The study, unleashed by the University of California, Davis, and published in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management, has gills wagging over its implication for conserving these slippery creatures.

Researchers thought they had lampreys pegged, but according to UC Davis Ph.D. candidate Grace Auringer, "We found diversity that has never been reported." Auringer's study swiftly turned heads by revealing genetic heterogeneity in samples taken from Napa River and Alameda Creek that starkly differed from other lampreys along the West Coast. This genetic swerve hints at a richer story for the eel-like fish than previously known.

Given lampreys' critical contribution to their ecosystems - from cleaning water to being a food source for other wildlife - rethinking conservation efforts is on the menu. They are, after all, animals that have endured for over 350 million years, a fact not lost on researcher Matthew "Mac" Campbell from the UC Davis Genomic Variation Lab, whose lab's work underscored the newfound genetic diversity. Lampreys' larval stages can last up to nine years. While some adults feast on other fish, some don't eat, leading to a vampiric existence that makes them a subject of fascination and ecological importance.

The team from UC Davis didn't just hook samples at random; they collaborated with water districts, state agencies, and power utilities to collect and preserve pieces of lamprey fins. By zeroing in on a particular mitochondrial gene, cytochrome b, these scientists can now piece together the evolutionary relationships among lampreys swimming in Californian rivers. Auringer declared, "The amount of diversity that we saw is quite remarkable."

Now listed as a species of special concern, California's lamprey populations are seen as teetering on the decline, raising the stakes in this research. Mandi Finger, associate director of the Genetic Variation Lab, added "Healthy trout streams in California often have lamprey, so conservation measures benefiting lamprey also benefit trout." She and her colleagues advocate for a more nuanced understanding of these animals - through additional research, including genomic sequencing.