Lungfish scales. Image: Fallon SJ, McDougall AJ, Espinoza T, Roberts DT, Brooks S, Kind PK, et al. (2019) Age structure of the Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri).
A great mystery around one of our most unique fish species has been solved by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU). Scientists knew Lungfish shared some traits with humans - such as the ability to breathe air through lungs - but a new study proves they also have a similar life span, potentially up to 80 years. Dr Stewart Fallon from the Research School of Earth Sciences said Lungfish have been on the threated species list here in Australia for decades, but this new research could help change that. "One of the main issues is no one knew their longevity," Dr Fallon said. "A lot of fish have what's called an Otolith - basically a solid stone in their inner ear. As the fish grows, the stone grows as well and there's usually little annual marker bands on there, so we can count them and know how old the fish is - but the lungfish doesn't have that stone. The other main issue is that to get an ear stone you usually have to kill the fish - so obviously you wouldn't want to do that to a threatened species." Dr Fallon and his team, in collaboration with Griffith University, Seqwater, the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, came up with a new approach.
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