For the musical band, see Lungfish (band).

Lungfishes are sarcopterygian fish belonging to the order Dipnoi. Lungfish are best-known for retaining characteristics primitive within the Osteichthyes, including the ability to breathe air, and structures primitive within Sarcopterygii, including the presence of lobed fins with a well-developed internal skeleton. Today, they live only in Africa, South America, and Australia. While vicariance would suggest this represents an ancient distribution limited to the Mesozoic supercontinent Gondwana, the fossil record suggests that advanced lungfish had a cosmopolitan freshwater distribution and that the current distribution of modern lungfish species reflects extinction of many lineages following the breakup of both Pangea and subsequently Gondwana and Laurasia.

Anatomy

---

All lungfish demonstrate an uninterrupted cartilaginous notochord and an extensively developed palatal dentition. Basal lungfish groups may retain marginal teeth and an ossified braincase, but derived lungfish taxa, including all modern species, show a significant reduction in marginal bones and a cartilaginous braincase. The bones of the skull roof in primitive lungfish are covered in a mineralized tissue called cosmine, but in post-devonian lungfishes, the skull roof is subdermal and the cosmine covering is lost. All modern lungfish show significant reductions and fusions of the bones of the skull roof, and the specific bones of the skull roof show no homology to the skull roof bones of actinopterygiians or tetrapods.

More on [ Lungfish ]

Lungfish - Twitter Search

the Queensland Lung Fish. it is soo cool. the fish halfway between evolution. Fish - Lungfish - Reptiles. but where does the platypus fit?xD
cAitlinSci_Fi (Caitlin Berrell) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:06:48 -0000
the Queensland Lung Fish. it is soo cool. the fish halfway between evolution. Fish - Lungfish - Reptiles. but where does the platypus fit?xD
Lungfish Offer Vision Of Earth Before The Dinosaurs http://bit.ly/5FV2DM via www.diigo.com/~ashtar9
ashtar9 (Aaron Guzman) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:16:57 -0000
Lungfish Offer Vision Of Earth Before The Dinosaurs http://bit.ly/5FV2DM via www.diigo.com/~ashtar9
lungfish blackfish alligator ice fish armour head hammer head anaconda flathead manta ray sting ray fangtooth moray goblin shark...
SnarfyX (kursten weiand) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 06:18:18 -0000
lungfish blackfish alligator ice fish armour head hammer head anaconda flathead manta ray sting ray fangtooth moray goblin shark...
I have a new favourite fish = the Queensland Lungfish - it has gills AND a functioning lung
GourmetRabbit (Denea Buckingham) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:44:57 -0000
I have a new favourite fish = the Queensland Lungfish - it has gills AND a functioning lung
The African Lungfish can live out of water for up to 4 years #wildtalk
MireyasWildTalk (Mireya Mayor) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:20:02 -0000
The African Lungfish can live out of water for up to 4 years #wildtalk
6 Lungfish live sets. Witness the power of the single best live band, I mean experience, ever. http://bit.ly/5kKCaV
namdev (namdev hardisty) Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:06:05 -0000
6 Lungfish live sets. Witness the power of the single best live band, I mean experience, ever. http://bit.ly/5kKCaV

Subscribe to Lungfish RSS feed