lungfish
Fish with lungs
A lungfish is a freshwater fish equipped with one or two primitive lungs in addition to gills, allowing it to breathe air and survive in stagnant or drying waters.
Found in Africa, South America, and Australia, lungfish can estivate in mud during droughts, remaining dormant until rains return.
They represent an ancient lineage linking fish to land vertebrates.
Aquatic respiratory organs
- air-breathingUsing lungs for oxygen
- gulpingSwallowing hastily, noisily
- aestivationTorpor during hot periods
- estivationWarm-season torpor state
burrow · dormancy · pulmonary · respiration · aquatic · freshwater · amphibious · surface
Non-saline aquatic environment
- swampWaterlogged land with vegetation
- riverLarge flowing watercourse
- floodplainFlood-prone riverside lowland
- pondSmall still body
muddy · tropical · wetland · Africa · Australia · stagnant · seasonal · drought
Unchanged ancient species
- coelacanthPrimordial fish still swimming
- DevonianGeologic period, 419-359 million years ago
- PaleozoicEarly complex-life epoch
- tetrapodFour-limbed vertebrate animal
ancestor · transitional · Eusthenopteron · paleontology · prehistoric · ancient · primitive · unchanged
Torpor during hot periods
- dormancySuspended biological activity
- drought-resistantAble to withstand aridity
- resilientAble to recover quickly
- hardyAble to endure difficulty
adaptive · endurance · burrow · desiccation · seasonal · persistence · longevity · survivor
Swimming appendages
- scalesPlates or weighing devices
- elongatedStretched beyond usual dimensions
- eel-likeElongated and sinuous
- crushingOverwhelming in intensity
pectoral · pelvic · cartilage · skeleton · larvae · juvenile · morphology
Of that southern continent
- AustralianFrom the southern continent
- QueenslandAustralia's northeastern state
- marbledStreaked with irregular patterns
- spottedSeen or patterned
gills
Aquatic respiratory organs
- air-breathingUsing lungs for oxygen
- gulpingSwallowing hastily, noisily
- aestivationTorpor during hot periods
estivation · burrow · dormancy · pulmonary · respiration · aquatic · freshwater · amphibious · surface · oxygen
freshwater
Non-saline aquatic environment
- swampWaterlogged land with vegetation
- riverLarge flowing watercourse
- floodplainFlood-prone riverside lowland
pond · muddy · tropical · wetland · Africa · Australia · stagnant · seasonal · drought · waterhole
living-fossil
Unchanged ancient species
- coelacanthPrimordial fish still swimming
- DevonianGeologic period, 419-359 million years ago
- PaleozoicEarly complex-life epoch
tetrapod · ancestor · transitional · Eusthenopteron · paleontology · prehistoric · ancient · primitive · unchanged · phylogeny
aestivation
Torpor during hot periods
- dormancySuspended biological activity
- drought-resistantAble to withstand aridity
- resilientAble to recover quickly
hardy · adaptive · endurance · burrow · desiccation · seasonal · persistence · longevity · survivor
fins
Swimming appendages
- scalesPlates or weighing devices
- elongatedStretched beyond usual dimensions
- eel-likeElongated and sinuous
crushing · pectoral · pelvic · cartilage · skeleton · larvae · juvenile · morphology
African
Of that southern continent
- AustralianFrom the southern continent
- QueenslandAustralia's northeastern state
- marbledStreaked with irregular patterns
lungfishtuna
Large edible ocean fish
mackerel · deep-sea fish · marlin · herring · cod