Rebecca Dillon
Lepidosireniformes (Greek lepis-, -idos (scale) and sirena (siren))
Taxonomy:
Superclass Gnathostomata – jawed vertebrates
Class Sarcopterygii – lobe-finned fishes
Subclass Dipnoi - lungfish
Order Lepidosireniformes – South American and African lungfishes
Family Lepidosirenidae – South American lungfish
1 genus, 1 species
Family Protopteridae – African lungfish
1 genus, 4 species
Description: reduced gills, swim bladder is highly vascularized lung, 2 lungs, only
breathe air
Elongate; partially embedded, soft scales
Continuous dorsal and anal fins; thread-like pectoral and pelvic fins
Anguilliform swimming; crawl with paired fins
Habitat: freshwater; temporary pools of low oxygen; shallow edges of water
South American lungfish – swamps, floodplain lakes
African lungfish – swamps, floodplain lakes, large rivers, small streams
Distribution: South American lungfish – Amazon and Parana river systems
African lungfish – west and central Africa, Zaire basin, coastal east Africa
Ecology and life history: feed on larval insects, crustaceans, mollusks, fish
Stalk or ambush prey, capture with suction; chew with toothplates, spit out, suck back in
Tunnel into substrate for egg chamber, male guards larvae
African lungfish – aestivate in dry season with secreted mucus cocoon in burrow
chamber; seasonal spawner during periods of rainfall
South American lungfish – partial aestivation in dry season in mucus and moist mud
chamber; spawn at beginning of rainy season
Additional details: First found in Devonian period 380 million years ago
Distribution explained by continental drift
Swim only when scavenging in midwater or going to breathe
Recent research: Chew S.F., N.K. Chan, A.M Loong, K.C. Hiong, W.L. Tam, and Y.K.
Ip. 2003. Nitrogen metabolism in the African lungfish (Protopterus dolloi) aestivating
in a mucus cocoon on land. The Journal of Experimental Biology 207:777-786.
References used:
Paxton, J. R. and W. N. Eschmeyer. 1998. Encyclopedia of fishes 2nd ed.
Academic Press.
Fishbase.org