Marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus) fish species and information / pictures of Marbled lungfish - Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus

Marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus

Common Name
Marbled lungfish

Biology
Under laboratory conditions it is an obligatory air breather (Ref. 34291), but under certain conditions lungfish in the wild may not be obligate air breathers and the use of aerial respiration may be a function of ecological as well as physiological factors (Ref. 58531). It inhabits river and lake fringes, swamps and floodplains (Ref. 28714). In Lake Victoria it is found in open lake and marginal swamps, in Lake Tanganyika basin only near rivers and deltas (Ref. 4967). Juveniles are found in the matted roots of papyrus (Ref. 34291). Protopterus aethiopicus is able to live in streams and swamps which are completely dry for long periods of the year (Ref. 45484). Withstands desiccation on floodplains by aestivating in cocoons until the next rains, breathing air by a small passage leading to the outside (Ref. 45484). It breeds during flood season (Ref. 28714).

Classification

Classified By

Heckel, 1851

Class

Lobe-finned fishes (Sarcopterygii)

Order

South American and African Lungfishes (Lepidosireniformes)

Family

African lungfishes (Protopteridae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: Nile; Lakes Albert, Edward, Victoria, Nabugabo, Tanganyika, Kyoga and No (Ref. 3498).

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

25 °C

Water Temperature To

30 °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

60 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; demersal; depth range 0 - 60 m (Ref. 34291), usually 0 - 20 m (Ref. 34291)

Trophic Level

3.43 s.e. 0.69 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

200 cm

Common Length

130 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6602 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

Vulnerability

Very high vulnerability (90 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming tmax > 30; Fec = 468)

Threat To Humans

  Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

  Not Evaluated