Scientific name Phractolaemus ansorgii Higher classification Phractolaemus | Family Phractolaemidae Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
Genus PhractolaemusBoulenger, 1901 Similar Kneriidae, Gonorynchiformes, Kneria, Gonorynchus, Denticle herring |
The hingemouth (Phractolaemus ansorgii) is a small freshwater fish that is found only in west central Africa, the sole member of the family Phractolaemidae.
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.
References
Hingemouth Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA