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Family Polypteridae - Bichirs

Order:

Polypteriformes

Class:

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)

No. of Genera:

No. of Species:

Environment:

Fresh: Yes Brackish: No Marine: No

Aquarium:

some

First Fossil Record:

lower Tertiary, upper Eocene Ref.: Berg, L.S..1958

Remark:

Confined to the freshwaters of Africa. Body elongated or anguilliform covered with thick bonelike rhombic scales sheathed with ganoin. Symmetric caudal fin; dorsal with one series of finlets formed by a spinous ray supporting one small membrane. Pectorals with lobed base covered with scales. Swim bladder bilobed, left lobe less developed than right; located ventral to and attached to esophagus; serves as accessory respiratory organ. With functional gills; young with branched external gills which disappear in adults. Pelvics lacking in Calamoichthys calabaricus; body elongate and with pelvics in Polypterus. About 1.2 m maximum length but most species are below 30 cm. Nine of the ten species occur in the Zaire river basin.

Etymology:

Greek, poly = a lot of + Greek, pteron = wing ( Ref. 45335).

Division:

Primary freshwater

Reproductive guild:

nonguarders

Typical activity level:

sluggish

Main Ref.:

Nelson, J.S..1994

Coordinator:

Show species | Nominal species list for Polypteridae | Identification keys | CAS specimen photos | References

Update \| Add new Family	Ref.:				Glossary
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