The literature on the biology of the Australian lungfish, N e e cerutodus forsteri (Krefft, 1870), over the past 115 years is reviewed. Relevant unpublished information on the habits, environment, and distribution of the lungfish is included. Topics covered are the discovery and taxonomic position of the species, the appearance and habits of adults and juveniles, their environment and distribution (historical and modern), their oviposition and development, and their diet and catching methods. It is concluded that, despite locally abundant populations of lungfish in rivers of southeast Queensland, the species is still at risk of extinction from a number of natural or artificial causes.

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Development of the sensory lines, dermal skull bones, neurocranium, quadrate, mandible and hyoid apparatus of the Holocene Australian lung®sh Neoceratodus forsteri is described, beginning at stage 40, before the formation of any skeletal elements, until skull development is complete in the sub-adult ®sh. The sequence of the initial development of skeletal structures of the head and shoulder girdle re¯ects the need to feed and to acquire ef®cient gill respiration. The appearance of the neurocranium and dermal bones of the skull follows the formation of teeth, jaw bones and the cartilaginous quadrate, and the opercular bones, the skeletal elements directly associated with these functions. Dermal skull elements are closely related to the distribution of the sensory line system of the head. Each bone of the normal developing skull roof arises from a single centre of ossi®cation, forming in a collagenous template secreted by mesenchymal cells. The numbers and arrangement of the skull bones found in the adult N. forsteri is the same as the pattern of bones laid down in the hatchling and juvenile, and the structures develop in an ordered and functional sequence.

The taxonomy of the predominantly Australian fossil dipnoan genus, Neoceratodus, is revised and the Recent Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri, and two fossil species, Neoceratodus eyrensis and Neoceratodus nargun, are redefined. Two new species of the related Tertiary genus, Mioceratodus, are described on the basis of tooth plates from central and northern localities in Australia. These are Mioceratodus diaphorus and Mioceratodus poastrus. A new genus, Archaeoceratodus, is erected to include three rare Tertiary species and one Mesozoic species. The Tertiary members of this genus are the type species, Archaeoceratodus djelleh, described originally as Neoceratodus djelleh, and two new species, Archaeoceratodus rowleyi and Archaeoceratodus theganus. The Mesozoic species is Archaeoceratodus avus from Triassic and Cretaceous deposits in southeastern Australia, described originally as Ceratodus avus. All three genera belong in the family Neoceratodontidae.