Australian lungfish
species of fish (Neoceratodus forsteri)
The Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri), also known as the Queensland lungfish, Burnett salmon and barramunda, is the only surviving member of the family Neoceratodontidae, and endemic to Australia. It is one of only six extant lungfish species in the world.
Fossil records of this group date back 380 million years, around the time when the higher vertebrate classes were beginning to evolve. Fossils of lungfish almost identical to this species have been uncovered in northern New South Wales, indicating that Neoceratodus has remained virtually unchanged for well over 100 million years, making it a living fossil and one of the oldest living vertebrate genera on the planet.
It is one of six extant representatives of the ancient air-breathing Dipnoi (lungfishes) that flourished during the Devonian period (about 413–365 million years ago) and is the outgroup to all other members of this lineage.
The five other freshwater lungfish species, four in Africa and one in South America, are very different morphologically from N. forsteri. The Queensland lungfish can live for several days out of the water, if it is kept moist, but will not survive total water depletion, unlike its African counterparts.
The small settlement of Ceratodus in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland derives its name from that of the Australian lungfish. The species was named, by Gerard Krefft, in honour of the squatter and politician William Forster.
Distribution and habitat
The Australian lungfish is native only to the Mary and Burnett River systems in south-eastern Queensland.
The public source identifies “Australian lungfish” as species of fish (Neoceratodus forsteri). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Australian, lungfish and species.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Australian lungfish”, the useful work is to connect “species of fish (Neoceratodus forsteri)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 23, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q782345. The Library of Congress control number is sh91005285. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Australian lungfish”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Australian lungfish primary sources, Australian lungfish archive and Australian research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Australian lungfish”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Australian lungfish” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.