Gilled lungfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gilled lungfish |
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| Genus: |
Protopterus
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| Species: |
amphibius
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The gilled lungfish (Protopterus amphibius) is a special type of African lungfish. It's also called the East African lungfish. You can find it in the wet, swampy areas and flooded lands of East Africa. Scientists have definitely seen it in countries like Kenya, Somalia, and Mozambique. There are some reports from Tanzania, but these might be fish that were brought there by people.
What is the Gilled Lungfish?
The gilled lungfish is the smallest lungfish alive today. It usually grows to about 44 cm (17 in) long. This fish is a solid blue or dark grey color. It has tiny black spots that are hard to see. Its belly is a light grey.
Like all African lungfish, it has two lungs. This means it must breathe air to live. It can also dig into the mud and form a slimy cover. This process is called estivation. It helps the fish stay safe and moist during dry times.
Where Does the Gilled Lungfish Live?
The gilled lungfish mostly lives near the bottom of rivers. It prefers the riverbeds of the Zambezi River system in East Africa. You can also find it in similar wet areas like swamps and floodplains.
Protecting the Gilled Lungfish
The gilled lungfish is listed as "Least Concern" for now. This means it's not in immediate danger of disappearing. There are many of them, and not much information suggests a big problem.
Some local people eat the fish for food. However, this doesn't seem to reduce their numbers much. Bigger dangers include dams being built on the Zambezi River. Dams can shrink the wet areas where the fish live. Pollution in their habitats is also a problem. Also, people are turning wetlands into farms. This reduces the places where the gilled lungfish can live.
