Description

Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 13 - 16; Vertebrae: 61 - 62. Diagnosis: Polypterus bichir is characterized by a lower jaw slightly longer than upper jaw and a pectoral fin reaching the first dorsal ray (Ref. 2835, 42908, 81263). The subspecies P. bichir bichir has 63 to 70 scales in lateral line, 14 to 18 dorsal fin rays and 11 to 13 pelvic fin rays (Ref. 367, 81263). The subspecies P. bichir lapradei has 58 to 68 scales in lateral line, 13 to 15 dorsal fin rays and 13 to 16 pelvic fin rays (Ref. 367, 81263).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Cladistii

Order: Polypteriformes

Family: Polypteridae

Genus: Polypterus

Species: Polypterus bichir Lacepède, 1803

Climate Zone

Biology

Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Polypterus bichir bichir likes shallow water and will often lie basking fo hours near the surface, but when swimming the fish is very pliant, and can turn and twist like an eel (Ref. 4904). The eggs are deposited in weeds, where the adult fish guards the eggs and young (Ref. 36900). It feeds on bottom-feeding fish (Ref. 36900) and is essentially piscivorous (Ref. 367).

Habitat

demersal

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless