Body Description of a Queensland lungfish
The Queensland lungfish usually has dull brown to an olive-green on he sides, back and tail and fins and pale yellow on the underside. The males have a slight reddish colour to them which gets brighter during breeding season. Apart from this colouration, there is nothing to distinguish the different genders. They can grow up to 150 cm (4.9 ft) with stout, elongated bodies and a weight of 43 Kg (95 lb).Females and males have similar growth patterns but the female gets slightly larger. the lungfish has a small, flattened head and small eyes.
Their skeleton is mainly bone, partly cartilaginous. Their ribs are mainly hollow with a cartilaginous filling. Their backbone is made completely of cartilage. Large, bony scales cover the lungfish with 10 rows on each side. The scales overlap each other, protecting vulnerable areas of the lungfish with at least 4 scales. They have 3 sets of fins: the dorsal fin, found in the middle of the back which is confluent with the anal and caudal fins, the pectoral fins which are large and flipper-like at the front of the body and pelvic fins located near the back of the body.
The lungfish is said to be inactive, lazy and sluggish but it does use it's strong tail to get away very quickly from predators or to move to more moist areas in dry seasons. The lungfish is more active during the evening but still is not very responsive.
Their skeleton is mainly bone, partly cartilaginous. Their ribs are mainly hollow with a cartilaginous filling. Their backbone is made completely of cartilage. Large, bony scales cover the lungfish with 10 rows on each side. The scales overlap each other, protecting vulnerable areas of the lungfish with at least 4 scales. They have 3 sets of fins: the dorsal fin, found in the middle of the back which is confluent with the anal and caudal fins, the pectoral fins which are large and flipper-like at the front of the body and pelvic fins located near the back of the body.
The lungfish is said to be inactive, lazy and sluggish but it does use it's strong tail to get away very quickly from predators or to move to more moist areas in dry seasons. The lungfish is more active during the evening but still is not very responsive.