South American Lungfish

The animal selected was the South American Lungfish (Scientific Name: Lepidosiren Paradoxa). In its present, it has an eel-like body with fins on the lower surface and on its side, averaging at 4 feet in its adult length. It is an obligate air breather, meaning it needs to surface up and breathe occasionally. The South American environment is primarily the Amazon River. These rivers are shallow, still, swampy, and poor in oxygen. Climate change is affecting not only us, but the Amazons as well. To the South American Lungfish, this means hotter climates, longer droughts, and scarcer food. The lungs will change to full reliance on air or further developed that are more used to muddy climates. It will also decrease in size, averaging at 2 feet instead of 4 feet to save metabolism and precious calories.