Which freshwater fish is famous for surviving dry seasons buried in mud?

African lungfish are famous for surviving dry seasons buried in mud.

African lungfish belong to the genus Protopterus and live in freshwater habitats across much of tropical Africa. When seasonal waters disappear, some species burrow into drying mud and secrete mucus that hardens into a protective cocoon around the body.

Inside this enclosure, the lungfish can remain dormant for months or even years, depending on conditions. It breathes air through functional lungs and emerges when rainfall restores the surrounding water. This is a remarkable adaptation to unpredictable floodplain environments.

African lungfish are sometimes confused with the South American lungfish, Lepidosiren paradoxa, which also aestivates in mud. They are different species and live on different continents. The Australian lungfish is another separate lineage and generally cannot survive prolonged drought buried in a mud cocoon.