Australian Lungfish

ancient fish · breathes air · Australia · living fossil

Breathes with lungs. Unlike most fish that use gills, the Australian lungfish has a lung that lets it breathe air from the surface of the water. This is super rare and makes it one of the most unusual fish on Earth.

100 million years old. This fish has barely changed since the time of the dinosaurs. Scientists call it a living fossil because it looks almost identical to its ancient ancestors from over 100 million years ago.

Only lives in Australia. The Australian lungfish is found nowhere else in the world. It lives in a few rivers in Queensland, making it extra special and worth protecting.

One of six survivors. There are only six species of lungfish alive today, and the Australian lungfish is the last member of its entire family. All its relatives went extinct long ago.

Super strong genes. Its DNA shows it's part of an ancient group called lobe-finned fishes that gave rise to the first land animals millions of years ago. It's like a living bridge to the past.