Overview
Comprehensive Description
Biology
Found in swamps and flood plains (Ref. 43033). Lungfishes survive for months under the dried mud of floodplains (Ref. 4967).
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Gosse, J.-P. 1984 Protopteridae. p. 8-17. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). Volume I. ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. 410 p. (Ref. 3498)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=3498&speccode=10810
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Distribution
Range Description
This species is found in eastern Africa, from Somalia to Mozambique.
Eastern Africa: It is present in the Northern Ewaso Nyiro and the lower parts of coastal drainages (Lower Tana River and Lower Galana-Sabaki). Also reported from Lake Jilore (Sabaki system) which is now dry (Seegers et al. unpublished).
Northeast Africa: It is found in Juba, Somalia
Southern Africa: This species is known from coastal Mozambique from the Lower Zambezi north into east Africa. Rarely collected and very few specimens in museums.
Eastern Africa: It is present in the Northern Ewaso Nyiro and the lower parts of coastal drainages (Lower Tana River and Lower Galana-Sabaki). Also reported from Lake Jilore (Sabaki system) which is now dry (Seegers et al. unpublished).
Northeast Africa: It is found in Juba, Somalia
Southern Africa: This species is known from coastal Mozambique from the Lower Zambezi north into east Africa. Rarely collected and very few specimens in museums.
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Africa: East African coastal regions from Somalia and Kenya, and delta of Zambezi River (Ref. 3498). Reported from Lake Rukwa basin and flood plains of Ruaha and lower Rufiji (Ref. 4967, 41366, 89002), but this species was never positively identified from Tanzania (Ref. 27292). The presence of this species in southern Africa also requires confirmation (Ref. 7248, 52193).
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Gosse, J.-P. 1984 Protopteridae. p. 8-17. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). Volume I. ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. 410 p. (Ref. 3498)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=3498&speccode=10810
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Physical Description
Size
Max. size
44.3 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 3498))
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Gosse, J.-P. 1984 Protopteridae. p. 8-17. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). Volume I. ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. 410 p. (Ref. 3498)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=3498&speccode=10810
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Diagnostic Description
Diagnosis: distance snout to origin of dorsal fin 1.4-1.7 times head length, or 45-56% distance snout to vent (Ref. 7248, 52193).Description: head large (more than 30% distance snout to vent); pectoral fins filamentous with broad membranes (Ref. 7248, 52193). 35-37, sometimes more than 40, scales in a longitudinal series between the operculum and ventral fins (Ref. 41465). 27-30 pairs of ribs; 3 external gills on each side of the body (Ref. 41467).Coloration: uniform blue- or slate grey, with small or inconspicuous black spots; belly pale grey; head dark below with white spots or vermiculations (Ref. 7248, 52193).
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Skelton, P.H. 2001 A complete guide to the freshwater fishes of southern Africa. Struik Publishers, Cape Town. 395 p. (Ref. 52193)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=52193&speccode=1396
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Ecology
Habitat
Habitat and Ecology
Habitat and Ecology
Systems
This species is found in swamps and floodplains. Lungfishes survive under the dried mud of floodplains (Eccles 1992).
Systems
- Freshwater
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Trophic Strategy
Typical for swamps and floodplains (Ref. 43033).
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Poll, M. 1954 Zoogéographie des protoptères et des polyptères. Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. 79(4):282-289. (Ref. 43033)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=43033&speccode=8735
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Conservation
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
LC
Least Concern
Red List Criteria
Version
3.1
Year Assessed
2010
Assessor/s
Bills, R., Engelbrecht, J., Getahun, A. & Vreven, E.
Reviewer/s
Snoeks, J., Tweddle, D., Getahun, A., Lalèyè, P., Paugy, D., Zaiss, R., Fishar, M.R.A & Brooks, E.
Contributor/s
Justification
This species has a wide distribution, with no known major widespread threats. It is therefore listed as Least Concern. It has also been assessed regionally as Least Concern for eastern Africa. Originally described from the Quellimane region of the Zambezi delta. It is only known from the types and a few other museum specimens. Not enough is known of the species' geographical or ecological range, and it is therefore categorized as Data Deficient for southern and northeastern Africa.
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Trends
Population
Population
Population Trend
Not much information but reported as abundant in most floodwater pools and swamps near the Athi and Tana rivers (Whitehead 1959).
Population Trend
Unknown
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Threats
Threats
Major Threats
Dams in the main Zambezi River have reduced the size of the Zambezi delta and the influx of nutrients into the lower river. Further damming of the river will exacerbate this threat reducing floodplain habitats. Lower floodplain habitats have been extensively farmed for sugar cane in the Marromeu region which have introduced a suite of threats from loss of habitats to increased human populations and thus increased direct exploitation. In eastern Africa this species is threatened by encroachment of wetlands for agriculture, as well as land based pollution.
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Least Concern (LC)
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IUCN 2006 2006 IUCN red list of threatened species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded July 2006.
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=57073
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Management
Conservation Actions
Conservation Actions
Parts of the lower Zambezi delta are formally protected. Seasonal releases of dam waters will re-establish flow regimes in the lower Zambezi. More research is needed into this species taxonomy and population numbers and range, as well as threats. Population monitoring and potential conservation measures are needed, with habitat conservation and protected area management.
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Importance
fisheries: minor commercial
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Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea and W.B. Scott 1991 World fishes important to North Americans. Exclusive of species from the continental waters of the United States and Canada. Am. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. (21):243 p. (Ref. 4537)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=4537&speccode=1255
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Wikipedia
Gilled African Lungfish
The east African lungfish, (Protopterus amphibius) is a species of lungfish found in East Africa.[2] It is also known as the gilled African lungfish.[3]
Description
Protopterus amphibius generally only reaches a length of 44 cm (2 ft.), making it the smallest extant lungfish in the world. [4] This lungfish is uniform blue, or slate grey in colour. It has small or inconspicuous black spots, and a pale grey belly.[5]
References
- ^ ITIS.gov (Retrieved Feb. 19, 2010.)
- ^ EOL.org (Retrieved Feb. 19, 2010.)
- ^ Fishbase.org (Retrieved Feb. 19, 2010.)
- ^ Primitive Fishes.com (Retrieved Feb. 19, 2010.)
- ^ Fishbase.org (Retrieved Sep. 25, 2010.)
- LungFish.info
- Gosse, J.-P. 1984 Protopteridae. p. 8-17. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). Volume I. ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. 410 p. (Ref. 3498)
- Nelson, J. S. 2006. Fishes of the World, 4th edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-25031-7.
- Rosen, D. E., P. I. Forey, B. G. Gardiner, and C. Patterson. 1981. Lungfishes, tetrapods, paleontology, and plesiomorphy. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 167(4): 159-276.
- Schultze, H. P., and J. Chorn. 1997. The Permo-Herbivorus genus Sagenodus and the beginning of modern lungfish. Contributions to Zoology 61(7): 9-70.
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