West African Lungfish

The West African Lungfish (Protopterus annectens) is a species in the family Protopteridae, the African lungfishes, all of which possess paired lungs and can breathe atmospheric air. It inhabits freshwater swamps, floodplains, and slow rivers across West and Central Africa. The species is best known for its ability to survive seasonal drought by burrowing into mud and secreting a mucus cocoon around its body, entering a dormant state called aestivation that can last for months until rains return. This adaptation allows it to persist in habitats that dry out completely for part of the year, a strategy shared with other Protopterus species.

West African Lungfish are identified by these features:

• Elongated, eel-like body tapering evenly toward the tail
• Mottled grey-brown to olive coloring with irregular dark blotches
• Thin, thread-like paired fins rather than broad, fan-shaped fins
• Small eyes and a blunt, rounded snout
• Tiny scales embedded in thick skin, giving a smooth appearance

It closely resembles other African lungfish species, with range and blotchy mottled pattern being useful clues; it is generally smaller and less uniformly marbled than the larger Marbled Lungfish.

This species occupies freshwater swamps, floodplains, marshes, and slow-flowing rivers across West and Central Africa, in regions with pronounced wet and dry seasons. It favors muddy-bottomed, vegetated shallow water where it can easily burrow when conditions dry out. During the dry season, as its habitat shrinks or disappears, the West African Lungfish burrows into the substrate and aestivates in a mucus-lined chamber, resuming activity once seasonal rains refill its wetland habitat. This tolerance for extreme seasonal change defines much of its ecological range.

West African Lungfish rely on paired lungs to breathe air at the surface, an essential adaptation for surviving in warm, often oxygen-poor swamp water. During the dry season they burrow into mud, secrete a protective mucus cocoon, and enter aestivation, dramatically slowing their metabolism until rains return. Active individuals are generally solitary, feeding on invertebrates, small fish, and other prey using strong jaws capable of crushing shelled animals. Reproduction occurs in the wet season, when eggs are laid in burrow-like nests that a parent, typically the male, guards until the young are able to fend for themselves.