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Species
Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus Heckel, 1851
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License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Rainer Froese, FishBase |
Source | http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8734 |
fisheries: minor commercial
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Rainer Froese, FishBase |
Source | http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8734 |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
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The marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus) is a lungfish of the family Protopteridae. Also known as the leopard lungfish, it is found in Africa. At 133 billion base pairs[2] it has the largest known genome of any vertebrate and one of the largest of any organism on Earth, along with Polychaos dubium and Paris japonica at 670 billion and 150 billion, respectively.
Description[edit]
The marbled lungfish is smooth, elongated, and cylindrical with deeply embedded scales. The tail is very long and has tapers at the end. They can reach a length of up to 2 m (6.6 ft).[1] The pectoral and pelvic fins are also very long and thin, almost spaghetti-like, used for gliding through the water. The newly hatched young have branched external gills much like those of newts. After two to three months, the young metamorphose into the adult form, losing their external gills for gill openings. These fish have a yellowish gray or pinkish-toned ground color with dark slate-gray splotches, creating a marbling or leopard effect over their bodies and fins. The color pattern is darker along the top and lighter below.[3]
Distribution[edit]
Protopterus aethiopicus is found in the African countries of Tanzania, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, and the Sudan. Specifically, it lives in the Nile River and in lakes such as Albert, Edward, Tanganyika, Victoria, Nabugabo, No, and Kyoga.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Fishbase.org
- ^ IJ Leitch (13 June 2007). "Genome sizes through the ages". Heredity (Nature Publishing Group) 99 (2): 121–122. doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6800981. ISSN 0018-067X.
- ^ Animal-world.com
- ^ Fishbase.org
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License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marbled_lungfish&oldid=648476099 |
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). One or several females spawn in burrows which are dug and cleaned by the male, who later guards the eggs and the young. The principal diet of adults and sub-adults consists of mollusks, but small fishes and insects are also eaten in small quantities; young individuals less than 35 cm TL feed almost wholly on insects (Ref. 34291).
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Rainer Froese, FishBase |
Source | http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8734 |
Africa: Nile; Lakes Albert, Edward, Victoria, Nabugabo, Tanganyika, Kyoga and No. Three subspecies exist: Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus: Nile River, Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika; Protopterus aethiopicus congicus: middle and upper Congo River; and Protopterus aethiopicus mesmaekersi: lower Congo River.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Rainer Froese, FishBase |
Source | http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8734 |
Africa.
200 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 34290)); max. published weight: 17.0 kg (Ref. 13302)
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Rainer Froese, FishBase |
Source | http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8734 |
Smooth, slimy, cylindrical body with deeply embedded scales (Ref. 28714). Tail pointed and confluent with the long dorsal and anal fins; dorsal fin originating at an equal distance from the eye and the vent, or nearer to the latter; pectoral and pelvic fins slender and filamentous (Ref. 34290). 55-70 scales in a longitudinal series from immediately behind the head to above the vent; 40-50 scales around body (Ref. 4903, Ref. 45485). Ribs: 37-40 pairs (Ref. 4903). The dentition consisting of upper and lower tooth-plates in the form of sharp cutting ridges (Ref. 34290). Young fishes with true external gills, but usually absent in specimens greater than 15 cm TL (Ref. 34290).Dark slate-grey above, yellowish-grey or pinkish below; often with numerous dark spots or flecks on the fins and body (some specimens bright yellow ventrally); sensory canals on head and body are outlined in black (Ref. 34290).
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Cristina V. Garilao, FishBase |
Source | http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=8734 |