Recent science article on the Australian Lungfish (AUL)

Backfromthedead

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Jul 12, 2017
4,549
6,115
164
Fredericksburg va
With all the attention the fish kills in australia are getting right now i wonder why no one has mentioned the humble lungfish. Everyones blathering on about global warming and pollution and whatever else and don't seem to notice the only australian fish surviving hundreds of millions of years of fossil record is one that can breathe air...
 

Friller2009

Aimara
MFK Member
Oct 27, 2021
876
1,335
134
Australia
With all the attention the fish kills in australia are getting right now i wonder why no one has mentioned the humble lungfish. Everyones blathering on about global warming and pollution and whatever else and don't seem to notice the only australian fish surviving hundreds of millions of years of fossil record is one that can breathe air...
The current fish kills are happening in the murray darling basin and are blackwater events. Lungfish are found in the fitzroy river basin in South east queensland, although there was a fish kill at a weir downstream of a in-construction bridge which resulted in a couple lungfish dying.
Also Aussie lungfish need water to breathe, unlike African and south americans.
 

Friller2009

Aimara
MFK Member
Oct 27, 2021
876
1,335
134
Australia
I had the privilege of importing and owning AUL in the past. The longest I owned one was 3-4 years. AUL are wonderful fish to keep in my experience. So peaceful and easy going. And they are true living fossils.

A recent article on these fish that may be of interest: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/1/63
Thanks for the link mate! I'll have to give it a read
 

Backfromthedead

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Jul 12, 2017
4,549
6,115
164
Fredericksburg va
The current fish kills are happening in the murray darling basin and are blackwater events. Lungfish are found in the fitzroy river basin in South east queensland, although there was a fish kill at a weir downstream of a in-construction bridge which resulted in a couple lungfish dying.
Also Aussie lungfish need water to breathe, unlike African and south americans.
Read the link...they were once widespread. Of course they need water to breathe, i never said they didnt. The fact they are not obligate air breathers takes nothing away from what im trying to say.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Friller2009

Friller2009

Aimara
MFK Member
Oct 27, 2021
876
1,335
134
Australia
Read the link...they were once widespread. Of course they need water to breathe, i never said they didnt. The fact they are not obligate air breathers takes nothing away from what im trying to say.
Yeah I did, I was referring to the current fish kills and how they aren't effecting lungfish.
 

Backfromthedead

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Jul 12, 2017
4,549
6,115
164
Fredericksburg va
Yeah I did, I was referring to the current fish kills and how they aren't effecting lungfish.
Gotcha lol. Im being too instigative in the matter i guess. I just think its worthy to note how the lungfish ended up evolving its traits to begin with and how it still persists today. The article seems to entail that the long slow decline of the lungfish will continue. Im inclined to believe that if kills of this severity become more prevalent and more severe over time, we could see a dramatic lungfish resurgence throughout their historic range.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store