# Australian Lungfish (*Neoceratodus forsteri*)

> The Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) is a living fossil that breathes with lungs and gills in Queensland rivers. Adults reach 1.5 m and 40 kg, survive 100 years, and are listed Endangered.

- **Category:** Fish
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Endangered
- **Range:** Burnett and Mary River systems of Queensland, Australia.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/australian-lungfish/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Actinopterygii
- **Order:** Ceratodontiformes
- **Family:** Neoceratodontidae
- **Genus:** Neoceratodus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Neoceratodus forsteri |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Habitat | Slow rivers and pools |
| Lifespan | 80–100 years |
| Weight | 20–40 kg |
| Top speed | up to 10 km/h |
| Conservation status | Endangered (IUCN) |

## Lungs plus gills

One of six surviving lungfish lineages, it rises to gulp air when water is warm and low in oxygen. Heavy scales, paddle tail, and lobed fins look ancient compared with modern teleosts.

## Molluscs, plants, and slow hunts

Snails, clams, frogs, and aquatic plants are crushed with molar-like teeth. Adults are sedentary, moving little within home pools.

## Burnett and Mary rivers

Endemic to southeast Queensland's slow rivers and impoundments. Larvae need vegetated shallows; adults hold deep pools.

## Endangered in engineered rivers

IUCN lists Australian lungfish Endangered. Dams, weirs, and water extraction block spawning migrations and strand populations in modified channels.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can Australian lungfish breathe air?

Yes — they supplement gill breathing with a single lung, especially in warm, low-oxygen water.

### How old can Australian lungfish get?

Individuals may exceed 80–100 years; they are among the longest-lived freshwater fish.

### Where are Australian lungfish found?

Only in selected Queensland river systems, mainly the Burnett and Mary rivers.

### Are lungfish related to salamanders?

No — they are fish, though their air-breathing lung parallels early vertebrate evolution.

### Why is the Australian lungfish Endangered?

Dam construction and river regulation destroyed spawning habitat and fragmented populations.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/australian-lungfish/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.