Topic
Marbled lungfish
About: Marbled lungfish is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 9 publications have been published within this topic receiving 114 citations. The topic is also known as: Protopterus aethiopicus.
Papers
TL;DR: Phylogenomic analysis of almost 1,000,000 bp of expressed sequence tags from the African marbled lungfish yielded significant maximum likelihood support for a traditional gnathostome tree with a split between the Chondrichthyes and remaining (bone) Gnathostomes.
Abstract: The relationship between the Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes), the Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) and the piscine Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fishes), and how the Tetrapoda (four-limbed terrestrial vertebrates) are related to these has been a contentious issue for more than a century. A general consensus about the relationship of these vertebrate clades has gradually emerged among morphologists, but no molecular study has yet provided conclusive evidence for any specific hypothesis. In order to examine these relationships on the basis of more extensive sequence data we have produced almost 1,000,000 base pairs of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from the African marbled lungfish, Protopterus aethiopicus. This new data set yielded 771 transcribed nuclear sequences that had not been previously described. The lungfish EST sequences were combined with EST data from two cartilaginous fishes and whole genome data from an agnathan, four ray-finned fishes and four tetrapods. Phylogenomic analysis of these data yielded, for the first time, significant maximum likelihood support for a traditional gnathostome tree with a split between the Chondrichthyes and remaining (bone) gnathostomes. Also the sister group relationship between Dipnoi (lungfishes) and Tetrapoda received conclusive support. Previously proposed hypotheses, such as the monophyly of fishes, could be rejected significantly. The divergence time between lungfishes and tetrapods was estimated to 382-390 million years ago by the current data set and six calibration points.
48 citations
TL;DR: Use of habitat and the movement of marbled lungfish in Lake Baringo appeared to be influenced more by biotic than abiotic factors.
Abstract: The marbled lungfish, Protopterus aethiopicus, a recent introduction into Lake Baringo, Kenya is now an important commercial species there. Because little is known about its behaviour, we used ultrasonic telemetry to investigate its movements and use of habitat as part of a broader biological study. Twelve marbled lungfish were implanted with ultrasonic tags and tracked for variable periods between September 2001 and 2002. Two individuals were tracked for most of the study period. Daily movement ranged from little or none to 5.2 km. Mean hourly rates of movement for three fish located twice a day (morning and late afternoon) over several days suggested that individuals were active throughout the diel period. Maximum lake depth was about 3 m and fish utilized all depths greater than 1 m. Six home ranges described for four lungfish varied in size from 5.8 to 19.8 km 2 and were occupied for between 2 and 4.5 months. Use of habitat and the movement of marbled lungfish in Lake Baringo appeared to be influenced more by biotic than abiotic factors.
22 citations
TL;DR: The present study suggests that the fishing community would be well-advised to follow the precautionary approach and pay more attention to the numbers and types of fishing gear, and to appropriate mesh sizes to ensure successful spawning of fish.
Abstract: The Nyangara wetland, also known as Laguna, in the fluvial plain of Rusizi River at the northern end of Lake Tanganyika, harbours a fish fauna which offers food and income for 500 people directly or indirectly associated with fisheries. Fishing focuses mainly on two cichlids (Oreochromis niloticus and Astatotilapia burtoni) and the marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus). Studies of population structure were based on length-frequency distributions of fish in catch samples. The size at first maturation was estimated using total length and state of gonad maturity estimated macroscopically. Minimum and maximum sizes in catches ranged from 10 to 100 mm total length in A. burtoni and from 20 to 180 mm in O. niloticus. Sizes at first maturation were 65 mm total length for female and 70 mm for male in A. burtoni and 130 mm in O. niloticus. Immature fish comprised 95 % of the catch. The majority of harvesting thus took place before the onset of maturity. In both species, the dominance of very small fish in the...
10 citations
TL;DR: The existence of anatomically and physiologically specialized electrogenic tissue in these species is suggested, and the phylogenetic and evolutionary significance of primitive electrogenesis in the lobe-finned and bony-tongue fishes is discussed.
Abstract: Sporadic weak electric discharges were recorded from the African marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus), African arowana (Heterotis niloticus) and South American silver arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum). In all species, the discharges were registered from a pair of freely swimming individuals left for several hours in an experimental tank, or evoked by tactile stimulation in the lungfish and the African arowana. Maximum amplitudes of recoded pulses ranging from 1.5 mV in Osteoglossum to 10 mV in Protopterus and Heterotis, as well as the coordinated discharge patterns, allow us to suggest the existence of anatomically and physiologically specialized electrogenic tissue in these species. The phylogenetic and evolutionary significance of primitive electrogenesis in the lobe-finned and bony-tongue fishes is discussed.
8 citations
TL;DR: Specific growth rate was found to be a well defined and decreasing function of M T over the size range of recaptured fish and indicated that Lake Baringo African lungfish reached maturity at an age of c.
Abstract: Mark-recapture was used to quantify the relationship between body mass (M T ) and individual growth rates of sub-adult marbled lungfish Protopterus aethiopicus in Lake Baringo, Kenya. Specific growth rate (in mass) was found to be a well defined and decreasing function of M T over the size range of recaptured fish. Growth trajectories based on this function indicated that Lake Baringo African lungfish reached maturity at an age of c. 3 years and had a low reproductive effort.
8 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2005 | 1 |