Marbled Lungfish [Protopterus aethiopicus]
Description
The Marbled Lungfish, also known as the East African lungfish, is a species of lungfish found in Africa. It is the largest species of lungfish. Adults are generally brown in color with a pattern of dark brown blotches. They can grow up to 2 meters in length. They inhabit slow-moving freshwater habitats such as swamps and wetlands. The Marbled Lungfish is known for its ability to survive in habitats with low oxygen levels and during dry periods, it can burrow into the mud and encase itself in a cocoon of mucus and skin cells to survive until water returns.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Lobe-Fin Fish
Sarcopterygii
|
| Order |
Lungfishes
Dipnoi
|
| Family |
African Lungfishes
Protopteridae
|
| Genus |
Marbled Lungfish
Protopterus
|