| Range: |
South America |
| Habitat: |
Swamps, backwaters of rivers and lakes |
| Conservation Status: |
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| Scientific Name: |
Protopterus dolloi |
Lungfish, as their name implies, can breathe air through a lung-like organ. This habit comes in handy since they live in stagnant water that has a low oxygen content, and they need an additional means of getting oxygen. Some lungfish also survive periods of drought by curling into a ball in the mud and breathing through a tiny air passage. They can stay alive for up to a year in their muddy "cocoons". When rains begin and the muddy air passages fill with water, the fish emerges and renews its aquatic existence.
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