| in Did You Know Facts
The marine lamprey is thought to have originated in the Atlantic rather than the Great Lakes.
![sea lamprey, Atlantic Ocean, Welland Canal, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie,](https://assets.shortpedia.com/uploads/2022/11/01/1667307347.webp?tr=w-1200,h-600,cm-pad_resize,bg-F3F3F3)
The Welland Canal was completed in 1829, connecting Lake Ontario to Lake Erie and providing a route from the Atlantic Ocean inland. Within 100 years, marine lampreys utilized the canal to take over all five lakes.