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Sarcopterygii (/ ˌ s ɑːr k ɒ p t ə ˈ r ɪ dʒ i. aɪ /; from Ancient Greek σάρξ (sárx) 'flesh' and πτέρυξ (ptérux) 'wing, fin') — sometimes considered synonymous with Crossopterygii (from Ancient Greek κροσσός (krossós) 'fringe') — is a clade (traditionally a class or subclass) of vertebrate animals which includes a group of bony fish commonly referred to as lobe ...
Since a fertilized egg represents a complete organism at one stage of its life cycle, eating an egg is a form of predation, the killing of another organism for food. Egg predation is found widely across the animal kingdom, including in fish, birds, snakes, mammals, and arthropods. Some species are specialist egg predators, but many more are ...
Oligophagy is a term for intermediate degrees of selectivity, referring to animals that eat a relatively small range of foods, either because of preference or necessity. [2] Another classification refers to the specific food animals specialize in eating, such as: Carnivore: the eating of animals Araneophagy: eating spiders; Avivore: eating birds
After an elaborate courtship, the lungfish spawn in pairs, depositing large adhesive eggs amongst aquatic plants. [9] They spawn from August until November, before the spring rains, in flowing streams that are at least a metre deep. [7] Eggs are most abundant during September and October. The stimulus for spawning is believed to be day length.
The West African lungfish is historically known as a unique species and an early precursor of fish to tetrapods. Due to its monophyletic clade, Dipnoi, it is the sister group to the tetrapods; this is attributed to its distinctive physiology and inferred data from fossil and taxa records.
While clams are their preferred food, the sinuous sea creatures were more than happy to chow down on the crabs. As they did, a positive feedback loop began, what biologists call a trophic cascade.
African lungfishes breed at the beginning of the rainy season. They construct nests or burrows in the mud to hold their eggs, which they then guard against predators. When they hatch, the young resemble tadpoles, with external gills, and only later develop lungs and begin to breathe air. [11]
One or more females may use the same pit nest, into which they lay their eggs. [1] The female(s) then leaves the nest and the male guards the nest from attack for the next 8 weeks; in addition, he regularly fills the nest with air to ensure that the newly-laid eggs survive. [ 1 ]