Hingemouth
The hingemouth (Phractolaemus ansorgii) is a small freshwater fish that is found only in west central Africa, the sole member of the family Phractolaemidae.
| Hingemouth | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gonorynchiformes |
| Family: | Phractolaemidae Boulenger, 1901 |
| Genus: | Phractolaemus Boulenger, 1901 |
| Species: | P. ansorgii |
| Binomial name | |
| Phractolaemus ansorgii Boulenger, 1901 | |
| Synonyms | |
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The mouth can extend like a small trunk, thus the name, and has just two teeth, both in the lower jaw. The swim bladder has two compartments, and can function as a lung, allowing the hingemouth to survive in oxygen-poor environments.[1]
References
- Banister, Keith F. (1998). Paxton, J.R.; Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 97. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
- "Phractolaemus ansorgii". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 11 March 2006.
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Phractolaemidae" in FishBase. May 2006 version.
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). Species of Phractolaemus in FishBase. May 2006 version.
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Phractolaemus ansorgii" in FishBase. May 2006 version.
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