100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

Scientists have cracked the genome of the ancient Mary River lungfish

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

‘Landmark’ property commanding $515,981 in rent hits market

A commercial property within a busy precinct has hit the market, offering what agents are calling one of the “most compelling opportunities” in years. Located More

‘Stairway to haven’ helps fish migrate, breed

Two new fishways are being installed on a Coast creek to help native fish navigate weirs, which act as barriers to reaching breeding habitats. The More

‘Really special’: Aussie pair triumphs in Coast ironman

Queensland’s Ellie Salthouse and Tasmania’s Jake Birtwhistle have impressed on their way to victory at the 2025 IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast, with both athletes More

Work starts on multimillion-dollar parcel facility

Construction has started on a new Australia Post facility that is expected to process up to 16,000 parcels a day. Work is underway on building More

Firearm and car seized as emergency declaration revoked

Police have revoked an earlier emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) following a reported incident at Glenview. Officers were called to an More

Surf club rises from the ashes to reach milestone

A club that almost collapsed after its clubhouse was destroyed by fire is poised to mark a special anniversary. Dicky Beach Surf Life Saving Club, More

Biologists say they have cracked the genetic code of the Australian lungfish, an ancient creature that lived in the time of the dinosaurs and remains unchanged today.

The lungfish is native to the Mary River on the Sunshine Coast and was a key feature in the raging debate to build the Traveston Dam which was eventually abandoned.

The species, first discovered 150 years ago, is considered to be a “living fossil”.

Also known as the Queensland lungfish it is native to two Queensland rivers, the Mary River and the Burnett River in the Bundaberg region.

A study in the Nature Journal has revealed the lungfish has the largest known genome in the animal world, with more than 43 million DNA building blocks.

Its genome is almost 14 times as long as our own human genome, shedding more light on evolutionary history.

Get more Sunshine Coast stories direct to your inbox by subscribing to our free daily news feed: Go to SUBSCRIBE at top of this article to register.

The Australian lungfish is also known as the Queensland lungfish. Picture: Shutterstock

The new research provides insights into the advances that enabled the first fish to venture onto land about 400 million years ago.

The fish ancestors had to evolve lungs for breathing air as well as changes to their limbs and ways of reproduction, for example.

Now scientists have been able to show that the development of lungs was driven by the same gene in humans and lungfish.

“The lungs of lungfish can therefore be traced back developmentally to the same origin as those of terrestrial vertebrates, including humans,” Professor Axel Meyer of the University of Konstanz explained.

Celebrating the defeat of the Traveston Dam in 2009. Picture: AAP

The lungfish’s fin also contains fingers, an ulna and a radius, which are formed in humans using the same genetic information.

The genome decoders’ findings confirmed the hypothesis that the fish is more closely related to land vertebrates than the coelacanth, making it our closest living fish relative.

They can breathe using their gills as well as their lungs.

Several of the animal’s chromosomes contain as many building blocks each as the complete human genome with its 23 chromosomes.

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share