Neoceratodus forsteri
One of the most unusual fish in Queensland is the Queensland Lungfish.
This species is a living fossil whereby lungfish first appeared in the fossil record between 300 and 400 million years ago.
The natural range of the Queensland Lungfish is in freshwater waterways around Maryborough and Gympie but lungfish have been released in other areas of the state.
The shape of this fish is what sets it apart.
They have a long dense body which could be mistaken for an eels until their fins are seen.
The bigger a lungfish is in size, the older it is. – some have lived for decades in captivity.
Their preferred habitat is still or slowing moving rivers which includes deep pools.
Queensland Lungfish are a protected species and cannot be caught without the appropriate permits. They are classified as vulnerable in Queensland.
The fish have a varied diet in the wild and have adapted to breathe air if the water body they are residing in becomes oxygen deficient.
These fish are at risk of habitat fragmentation in the waterways that they reside.
Specifically, if rivers are blocked which inhibits movement between populations and loss of submerged vegetation.
Conservation measures have been implemented such as restoring vegetation that the lungfish breed in and construction of pathways to assist the lungfish moving past blockages such as dams.
Many Queenslanders enjoy a spot of fishing, knowing how to identify this creature will also assist in its long-term survival by eliminating them being taken from the wild.
The Queensland Lungfish is a species that many Queenslanders would not be familiar with.
I hope that by writing this article I have helped people to be aware of them and assist with protecting them.
