Lungfish+(modern)

Lungfish (fossil - Dipterus) Lungfish (future - Katsuladon)

The Queensland Lungfish (Latin Name: Neoceratodus forsteri)are freshwater fish that belongs to the subclass Dipnoi. They are best known for the characteristics and ability of being able to breather air. Today, they live around the coast of Queensland, Australia near the Great Barrier Reef and the surrounding waters and oceans. Most lungfishes that live near Africa and South America has two lungs, while the Australian Lungfish has only one. The lungs of lungfish are divided into smaller air sacs, increasing the area for gas exchange. Lungfishes are usually green brown on their back and sides. Their stomachs are usually whitish grey.
 * __Modern Animal: Queensland Lungfish__**


 * __Scientific Classification__**
 * ** Kingdom: ** || Animalia ||
 * ** Phylum: ** || Chordata ||
 * ** Class: ** || Sarcopterygii ||
 * ** Subclass: ** || Dipnoi ||
 * ** Order: ** || Ceratodontiformes ||
 * ** Family: ** || Ceratodontidae ||
 * ** Genus: ** || Neoceratodus ||
 * ** Species: ** || N. forsteri ||

The Queensland lungfish usually live in the slow flowing and stilled waters that has some vegetation present. They are usually found in shallow pools of depths between 3 to 10m and lives in small groups, underwater caves, and dense banks. They prefer waters of temperature up to 15 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius. The Queensland lungfish cannot survive out of the water for their whole life. Although it can live out of water for several days but only if their skin is constantly moist. Unlike the African lungfish, it does not survive dry seasons. The Queensland lungfish are usually non nomadic, spending most of its lifetime within a specific area. Their home range rarely extend beyond a pool, however, they might seek out a more suitable place of living between the winter seasons between May and September. The lungfish loves the axolotl, it is their common meal because they share similar habitats. As seen in the picture below, the Queensland lungfish are distributed in the waters of south eastern Queensland, Australia.
 * __Habitat__**


 * [[image:lungfish:IMG_0017.JPG caption="Red: Lungfish distribution"]] ||
 * Red: Lungfish distribution ||

The Queensland lungfish is carnivorous but sometimes argued to be omnivores because they sometimes consume plant materials. Therefore the living area of this lungfish usually contains a wide variety of marine animals and vegetation in the surroundings. The Queensland lungfish is nocturnal and is usually active at night when it comes to searching for food. The most common meal for this type of lungfish would be frogs, small fish, earthworms and plants. Baby lungfishes usually prefer algae as their prime meal. The Queensland lungfish uses a n ability called the electroreception to hunt their preys. This is because this lungfish has poor eyesight. Electroreception is the biological ability to perceive electrical impulses and sense any ‘food’ nearby.



This lungfish needs a comfortable area to lay their eggs and that it helps to protect the eggs from other animals. Unlike other species, once the lungfish has chosen an area for reproduction, because they restricted to one area, it is unlikely for them to change the location. However, it is common that lungfish returns to their reproduction area and finds out that it is unsuitable for laying their eggs. A perfect area for the lungfish to lay their eggs would be the bank of shallow waters with water temperature of 15 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius and surrounded by vegetation.


 * __Adaptations__**




 * __Structural__**

An environmental pressure which brought up this adaptation is the weakness of the fish’s eyes. The lungfish’s eyes are technically blind from movement and therefore the fish needs high sensitivity to be able to determine any movement around its surroundings
 * __Touching and Sensing surroundings –__** the Queensland Lungfish has very strong pectoral and pelvic fins which helps them to touch or sense their surroundings. The tips of these fins have a highly developed sense of touch. This adds to the fish’s sensitivity of smell and taste. The lungfish is technically blind from any form of movement, pressure and turbulence is sensed by the use of these fins. At the end of the fins, there is a pattern of lines, which are a series of tiny bud shaped organs. The patterns are used to distinguish the type of species the fish sensed.

An environmental pressure which brought up this adaptation is the lack of oxygen in water during dry seasons. At such times, water is less oxygenated and the water level goes down (common in shallow waters where lungfish live). Most fish dies of lack of oxygen but with the air breathing organs, the lungfish are able to survive through breathing atmospheric air.
 * __Ability to breathe –__** the Queensland lungfish was given the ability to breathe atmospheric air, however, they also have gills for them to survive under oxygenated water. The inner surface of the lungs is covered with air sacs supplied with blood vessels. This is where gas exchange takes place. In order to breathe, the fish swims upwards and position its head above the surface of the water, the fish then breathes the atmospheric air with its naval opening.


 * __Behavioural__**

An environmental pressure for this adaptation is that the lungfishes are more vulnerable swimming during day time as they have poor eyesight. With other marine animals resting during night, it is a chance for lungfish to become the predator not the prey and this is why they hunt at night.
 * __Hunting at night –__** the Australian lungfish likes to hunt at night, this because they have very poor eyesight but a great sensitivity. Most fish have poor eyesight at night (not during daylight) and doesn’t have good sensitivity. This is an advantage to lungfishes to hunt at night since they have high sensitivity for movement. They also have tough tooth plates to help them thoroughly chew up their prey.

An environmental pressure that may have caused this adaptation is that female lungfishes like the male to show off which often impresses her.
 * __Mating –__** lungfish make a sound when they breathe atmospheric air at the surface of the water. This sound are said to be a mating call, to attract attention from the opposite sex. The male lungfish likes to show off in front of the female and to impress her. The male often nudges the female with his snout and are smart enough to wave plants to attract attention of the opposite sex.


 * __Physiological__**

An environmental pressure that leads to this adaptation is the weakness of their visibility. Therefore the lungfish has to develop other senses to aid them in surviving in the wild, and this lead to their high sensitivity in smell and touch.
 * __Smell –__** the Australian lungfish has a high sensitivity for smell which contrasts to them hunting at night. Their smell organ is found at the top of the mouth. With the help of electroreception, it allows them the feel the vibrations of passing preys.

- Designeranimals (2011). //Queensland lungfish (modern)//. Retrieved on 25th of June 2011. http://designeranimals.wikispaces.com/Lungfish - Britannica. By Karl Heinz. (2011). //Lungfish.// Retrieved on 25th of June 2011. [] - Animals-stephencardiff. (2009). //The Lungfish.// Retrieved on 25th of June 2011. [] - Wikipedia. (2011). //Lungfish//. Retrieved on 25th of June 2011. [] - Wikipedia. (2011). //Queensland Lungfish.// Retrieved on 25th of June 2011. []
 * __Bibliography__**