- South American lungfish
name = South American lungfish
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Sarcopterygii
ordo =Lepidosireniformes
familia = Lepidosirenidae
genus = "Lepidosiren"
species = "L. paradoxa"
binomial = "Lepidosiren paradoxa"
binomial_authority = Fitzinger, 1837The South American lungfish, "Lepidosiren paradoxa", is the single species of
lungfish found inswamp s and slow-moving waters of the Amazon, Paraguay, and lowerParaná River basins inSouth America . Notable as anobligate air-breather, it is the sole member of its family Lepidosirenidae.Like the other
lungfish es, this species has an elongate, almost eel-like body. It may reach a length of 125 cm (4 ft). Thepectoral fin s are thin and threadlike, while the pelvic fins are somewhat larger, and set far back.Juvenile lungfish feed on
insect larvae andsnail s, while adults are omnivorous, addingalgae andshrimp s to their diet. The fishes' usual habitats disappear during the dry season, so they burrow into the mud and make a chamber about 30-50 cm down, leaving a couple of holes to the surface for air.When the rainy season begins, they come out of hibernation and begin mating. The parents build a nest for the young, which resemble
tadpole s and have four externalgill s. In order to enrich the oxygen in the nest, the male develops structures on the pectoral fins that release additional oxygen into the water. The young become air-breathing at about 7 weeks.References
*
External links
* [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?id=4511 FishBase entry for South American lungfish]
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