Protopterus annectens

(Owen, 1839)

Vernacular names
English : West African lungfish
French : Dipneuste africain

Classification
Class : Dipneusti
Order : Ceratodontiformes
Family : Protopteridae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Adults can reach nearly 1 m in length for a weight of 4 g. Long pectoral fins, large head with small mouth and eyes. Coloration ranges from ashy-gray to dark brown-gray with mottling and black spots.

Range and habitat
Occurs in many river basins of subsaharan Africa, from Senegal to western Sudan, south to Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Lives in swamps and backwaters of rivers and lakes with aquatic vegetation.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : This species has a wide range and apparently remains fairly common in most parts of its range. No known threats.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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