Science, asked by ChrisSmith, 1 year ago

Q. Write some important points on African lungfish.

Answers

Answered by Anonymous
13
hey CS.
Here is ur answer ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡
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1)It is also known as Salamanderfish,they are very large fresh water fish,growing to 1.5 metre in length.
2)They can live for long time ,with one Australia lungfish surviving for 80 years in captivity.
3)They r mostly carnivorous eating frogs,tadpoles,small fish ,invertebrates and some plants.
4)They r very old species ,with fossils dating back over 100 million years .In fact ,Scientists knew about the fossils before living lungfish were discovered by modern scientists.
5)Unlike the unrelated african and South American species of lungfish ,the Australian only has one lung .it can stay out of the water for several days at a time ,helping it to survive drought and move from one pond to another.
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i hope it will help you ✌✌✌
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Answered by Ajay1291
12
hey dear

African lungfishes have elongated bodies like an eel with soft scales. They have narrow thread-like pelvic and pectoral fins which help them to swim and crawl on land. Prehistoric African lungfishes had two dorsal fins, a caudal fin and a tail fin all independent of each other. In the present day fishes, the three types of fins are fused to form a single fin-like structure. They have a flexible rod-like structure called notochord that acts as a support for their body. Lungfishes retain their notochords throughout their lives. These fishes can weigh almost around 25 pounds.

=>African Lungfish Teeth

Lungfishes are voracious eaters. Their teeth are remarkably developed, compared to other forms of fish. The upper jaw has two rounded teeth at the front having a hard bridge that moves from side to side. The lower jaw is equipped with numerous crushing teeth. At first a lungfish sucks the prey in and crushes it. It then chews the broken carcass thoroughly. It is quite uncommon for a fish to eat in this way.

=>Behavior

African Lungfishes are highly aggressive carnivores. It is thus best to keep them in isolation from other animals when they are adopted as pets. They are fearless and tend to attack anything that moves in their vicinity. Lungfishes as pets can bite human hands. They can survive in various aquatic conditions and even in areas having low levels of oxygen.

=>Aestivation in Lungfish

A special feature of this species is the process of aestivation. Aestivation is a process in which these lungfishes are in a state of dormancy. The lungfish eats and pushes the mud through its gills. It digs down through the mud and creates a hard cocoon around it with a slimy secretion. The fish leaves an opening for breathing and its swim bladder acts like lungs, enabling the fish to breathe atmospheric air. During this period, there is a lack of activity and the metabolic rate is low. Unlike the process of hibernation, which takes place during the winters, aestivation occurs during summer and times of intense heat and dryness. They can stay in this way for long periods of time. Reports have been found claiming that they can stay like this in underground muddy layers for as long as four years. During this time, a lot of ammonia is deposited in their bodies which can prove to be toxic and fatal.

=>Diet

African lungfishes are carnivorous and like to eat

Mollusks

Snails

Earthworms

Worms

Insects

Clams

Crustaceans

Frogs and tadpoles

Small fish

Shellfish

Shrimp

Crawfish

Aquatic insect larvae

In a zoo environment, they survive mostly on krill. They also have smelt, squid, fish gel, night crawlers and trout chow. These fishes are not fussy about their food and will eat anything, provided it is flesh of some other animal or fish. In some rare cases, they have also been reported to eat plants.

=>Habitat and Distribution

African Lungfishes are mostly found in temporary floodplains that remain completely dry for some parts of the year. They can also be found in marshes, swamps and backwaters.

African Lungfishes inhabit many parts of Africa. Some of these areas include:

Niger

Kenya

Sudan

Nigeria

Senegal

Somalia

Cameroon

Mozambique

The Nile River

Lower Galana-Sabaki

Ogowe River basin in Gabon

The Democratic Republic of Congo

=> ®®®Predators®®®

The most common form of predators for this species is the shoebill bird.
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