Scientific Name
Lepidosiren paradoxa
Common Name
South American lungfish
Biology
Prefers stagnant waters where there is little current. Juveniles feed on larval insects and snails. Adults are omnivorous and feed on aquatic vertebrates, invertebrates such as snails, clams and shrimp, and algae. Can survive low oxygen levels in its habitat by means of its very reduced branchial apparatus. It possesses two lungs without bronchial tubes. During the dry period, this species burrows into the mud, to a depth of about 30-50 cm, and seals off the entrance with clay, leaving out 2-3 holes for aeration. It reduces its metabolism during this period of hibernation. The fish are obligate air-breathers and will drown if denied access to the surface. During the rainy season, reproduction begins. The parents gather vegetal debris in a burrow to create a nest. During reproduction, the males guard the young. The males can increase the oxygen level in the burrow because during breading season the pelvic fins develop highly vascul