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Cladistii (bichirs) > Polypteriformes (Bichirs) > Polypteridae (Bichirs)
Etymology: Polypterus: Greek, poly = a lot of + Greek, pteron = wing, fin (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Boulenger.

Issue
This species is a synonym of Polypterus endlicherii Heckel, 1847 in Eschmeyer (Eschmeyer (CofF ver. Sep. 2011: Ref. 88002): Ref. 88002).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; demersal; depth range 0 - 10 m (Ref. 36901). Tropical

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Africa: widespread in the Congo River basin; also present in Lake Tanganyika (Ref. 43033, 88113).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 97.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 41580); max. published weight: 4.4 kg (Ref. 44840)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 15; Anal spines: 12 - 15. Compressed body (Ref. 42908, Ref. 43035). Lower jaw prominent, longer than upper jaw (Ref. 36901). Number of dorsal finlets: 12-15 (Ref. 42908). Pectoral fin reaching dorsal fin origin (Ref. 45485). Ganoid scales (Ref. 42904, Ref. 43035): 55-59 lateral line scales, 46-52 scales around body, 11-16 predorsal scales (Ref. 2970, Ref. 36901, Ref. 42908, Ref. 44840, Ref. 45485). Dorsal side gray colored, ventral side paler, yellowish, with 6 to 9 darker transversal bars (Ref. 41580, Ref. 43035). Fins with weak blackish spots (Ref. 41580).

Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); This carnivorous fish lives in streams, lakes and zones of flood (Ref. 4910, Ref. 41580). In Lake Tanganyika it is mostly found at the mouth or delta of rivers and lagoons (Ref. 36901). Not commercially important (Ref. 4967).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Suzuki, D., M.C. Brandley and M. Tokita, 2010. The mitochondrial phylogeny of an ancient lineage of ray-finned fishes (Polypteridae) with implications for the evolution of body elongation, pelvic fin loss, and craniofacial morphology in Osteichthyes. BMC Evolutionary Biology 10:1-12. (Ref. 88084)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 16 February 2009

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5002 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00457 (0.00197 - 0.01063), b=3.05 (2.85 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.3 ±0.54 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High vulnerability (59 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Polypterus congicus Boulenger, 1898