Marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus)

Scientific name: Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus Heckel, 1851

Marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus)

The Marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus) is a freshwater fish of the family Protopteridae. In the aquarium it needs water at 25–30°C (77–86°F). Native range: Africa, Nile; Lakes Albert, Edward, Victoria, Nabugabo, Tanganyika, Kyoga and No.

Marbled lungfish care at a glance

Temperature
25–30°C (77–86°F)

Biology

Under laboratory conditions it is an obligatory air breather, 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. It inhabits river and lake fringes, swamps and floodplains. In Lake Victoria it is found in open lake and marginal swamps, in Lake Tanganyika basin only near rivers and deltas. Juveniles are found in the matted roots of papyrus. Protopterus aethiopicus is able to live in streams and swamps which are completely dry for long periods of the year. Withstands desiccation on floodplains by aestivating in cocoons until the next rains, breathing air by a small passage leading to the outside. It breeds during flood season.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus
Family
Protopteridae (African lungfishes)
Order
Lepidosireniformes (South American and African Lungfishes)
Class
Sarcopterygii (Lobe-finned fishes)
Maximum length
200
Common length
130
Depth range
0–60 m (0–197 ft)
Environment
Freshwater; demersal; depth range 0 - 60 m, usually 0 - 20 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Africa: Nile; Lakes Albert, Edward, Victoria, Nabugabo, Tanganyika, Kyoga and No.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming tmax > 30; Fec = 468)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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