Gilled lungfish

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Gilled lungfish
Protopterus amphibius.png
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Dipnoi
Order: Ceratodontiformes
Family: Protopteridae
Genus: Protopterus
Species:
P. amphibius
Binomial name
Protopterus amphibius
(Peters 1844) [2]
Protopterus amphibius map.jpg
Synonyms [3] [4]
  • Rhinocryptis amphibiaPeters 1844

The gilled lungfish (Protopterus amphibius), also known as the East African lungfish, is a species of African lungfish. [1] [5] It is found in the swamps and flood plains of East Africa, and has been positively identified in Kenya, Somalia and Mozambique. [1] [5] Records from Tanzania require confirmation [5] and may be the result of introductions. [1]

Contents

Description

Protopterus amphibius generally only reaches a length of 44 cm (17 in), making it the smallest extant lungfish. [5] [6] This lungfish is uniform blue or slate grey in colour. It has small or inconspicuous black spots and a pale grey belly. [5] Like all African lungfish it has two lungs and is an obligate air-breather. [6] Also, like all other African lungfish, it is able to burrow and form a mucous cocoon for protection in a process known as estivation. [6]

Habitat

The gilled lungfish is a primarily demersal fish, living largely within the riverbeds of the Zambezi River system of East Africa. [7] It also inhabits similar areas in the wetlands of the region. [1]

Conservation

The gilled lungfish is listed as Least Concern, partially because reported numbers are high and partially because of the lack of data. [1] It is eaten for food by some natives of the area however the numbers lost to this practice are very small. [7] More dangerous threats are the damming of the Zambezi, which will reduce the size of the delta in which the fish live, and pollution in areas that the fish inhabit [1] as well as encroachment of wetlands for agriculture that reduces the available habitat. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bills, R.; Engelbrecht, J.; Getahun, A.; Vreven, E. (2010). "Protopterus amphibius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010 e.T182130A7811584. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T182130A7811584.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. ITIS.gov (Retrieved Feb. 19, 2010.)
  3. Haaramo, Mikko (2007). "Ceratodiformes – recent lungfishes". Mikko's Phylogeny Archive. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  4. Froese, R.; Pauly, D. (2017). "Protopteridae". FishBase version (02/2017). Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2014). "Protopterus amphibius". FishBase .
  6. 1 2 3 Primitive Fishes.com Archived 2008-12-11 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved Feb. 19, 2010.)
  7. 1 2 "Kenyan Lungfish (Protopterus amphibius) - Information on Kenyan Lungfish - Encyclopedia of Life". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 2015-06-03.