Australian Lungfish

Interesting Info

• The Australian lungfish is found only in southeastern Queensland, restricted to the Mary, Burnett, and Brisbane river systems.
• The Australian Lungfish is one of the world’s oldest living vertebrates, with a fossil record dating back over 100 million years. It is often called a “living fossil.”
• The body is thick and eel-like, olive-brown on top with a paler underside, and the fins are broad and fleshy.
• Unlike most fish, it has a single functional lung as well as gills. This allows it to gulp air at the surface, especially during low oxygen conditions.
• They are generally solitary and slow-moving, spending much of their time resting near the bottom of deep pools.
• At night or during floods they may become more active, foraging in shallow areas.
• The lungfish is of enormous scientific importance: it is one of only six living lungfish species in the world and is considered the most primitive, helping scientists understand the evolution of land vertebrates.
• They mature slowly, with females not breeding until around 15 years of age.
• Breeding occurs in spring and summer (August–December). Adults migrate to shallow, vegetated margins where females lay eggs among aquatic plants.
• The eggs are large and sticky, hatching into larvae after 3–4 weeks. Unlike amphibians, the larvae do not have external gills.
• They prefer still or gently flowing waters with abundant aquatic vegetation, which is critical for egg-laying.
• Juveniles and adults feed on snails, mussels, worms, frogs, and small fish, using crushing tooth plates to break hard shells.
• The lifespan is extraordinary — lungfish can live for 50–100 years, with some individuals in captivity recorded at over 80 years old.