Acid tolerance of the African lungfish Protopterus annectins (Owen)

Abstract

The tolerance of the African lungfish, Protopterus annectens (Owen) to acid water was investigated under laboratory conditions. Healthy adult specimens of the African lungfish, Protopterus annectens (Owen); mean length 38.3cm ± 2.4, and mean weight 294.3g ± 5.2 were subjected to acid waters of concentrations that ranged from pH 3.8 to pH 7.4. P. annectens tolerated acid water from neutral pH 7.4.down to a pH of 4.6. It is possible that P. annectens was able to maintain almost a constant level of blood pH in acid waters due to the possession of acidophilic cells in the gills which actively secrete H+ from the blood into the water medium. Global Journal of Environmental Sciences Vol. 6 (1) 2007: pp. 71-74