| Spotted lungfish | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Sarcopterygii |
| Class: | Dipnoi |
| Order: | Ceratodontiformes |
| Family: | Protopteridae |
| Genus: | Protopterus |
| Species: | P. dolloi |
| Binomial name | |
| Protopterus dolloi | |
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The spotted lungfish or slender lungfish (Protopterus dolloi) is a species of lungfish from Middle Africa, where found in the Congo, Kouilou-Niari and Ogowe river basins. [1] [3] It is one of four extant species in the genus Protopterus.
The slender lungfish is a freshwater fish and it largely inhabits the middle and lower Congo River basin. [3] It is a primarily demersal fish, dwelling in the riverbeds of the above basins and in Stanley Pool. [3] [1] During spawning season, females can be found in open water. [3] [1]
The slender lungfish has an anguilliform body, much like an eel. [3] The body of the slender lungfish is generally brown; young of the species oftentimes have black spots throughout the body, however adults generally lose these spots as they age. [3] Like all African lungfish the slender lungfish is an obligate air-breather and is capable of aestivation; however, it generally does not aestivate. [3] When it does aestivate, the lungfish creates a dry mucus cocoon on land. [4] As most tropical fish are ammoniotelic, being on land can induce ammonia toxicity – with negative organismal and cellular level consequences – due to a lack of water to flush excreted ammonia from the gills and other cutaneous surfaces. [4] Studies have shown that the slender lungfish has evolved the ability to reduce endogenous ammonia production, as well as an ornithine-urea cycle to increase the conversion rate of ammonia to less toxic urea, to defend against this toxicity. [4] [5]
Spotted lungfish nests are generally found in June through October. [1] During this time period the male makes a nest and buries it in mud, not unlike the marbled lungfish mating behavior. [1] He guards both eggs and larvae during this time. [3] [1] The female does not take care of the young but rather during this time can be found open water in rivers within its range. [3]
