Gilled 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. amphibius
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Binomial name | |
Protopterus amphibius | |
Synonyms[3][4] | |
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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]
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]
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]
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]