>
Polypteriformes (Bichirs) >
Polypteridae (Bichirs)
Etymology: Polypterus: Greek, poly = a lot of + Greek, pteron = wing, fin (Ref. 45335); bichir: Named after the local name for the fish (Ref. 43537).
More on author: Lacepède.
Milieu: milieu / Klimaatzone / Diepte / verspreidingsgebied
Ecologie
; zoet water demersaal; potamodroom (Ref. 51243). Tropical
Africa: The subspecies Polypterus bichir bichir is known from the Chad basin, Nile River basin and Lake Turkana (Ref. 2835, 81263). Reports from Lake Turkana and the Ouémé are questionable as unsupported by photographs or museum specimens (Ref. 122071). The subspecies Polypterus bichir lapradei is known from the rivers Senegal, Gambia, Geba, Volta and Niger (Ref. 2835, 81263).
Grootte / Gewicht / Leeftijd
Maturiteit: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 74.0 cm TL mannelijk / geslacht onbekend; (Ref. 81263); max. gepubliceerd gewicht: 2.7 kg (Ref. 367)
Dorsale stekels (totaal) : 13 - 18; Dorsale zachte stralen (totaal) : 0; Anale stekels: 0; Anale zachte stralen: 13 - 16; Wervels: 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).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: circular.
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).
Levenscyclus en paargedrag
Maturiteit | Voortplanting | Paaien | Eieren | Fecunditeit | Larven
Gosse, J.P. and J. Daget, 2003. Polypteridae. p. 101-112. In D. Paugy, C. Lévêque and G.G Teugels (eds.) The fresh and brackish water fishes of West Africa Volume 1. Coll. faune et flore tropicales 40. Institut de recherche de développement, Paris, France, Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris, France and Musée royal de l'Afrique Central, Tervuren, Belgium, 457p. (Ref. 81263)
Status op de Rode Lijst van het IUCN (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2 (Global))
Gevaar voor de mens
Harmless
Gebruik door de mens
Visserij: commercieel
Tools
Speciale rapporten
Download XML
Internetbronnen
Schattingen op basis van modellen
Fylogenetische diversiteitsindex (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5003 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00457 (0.00194 - 0.01077), b=3.05 (2.85 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trofisch niveau (Ref.
69278): 4.5 ±0.80 se; based on food items.
Weerstandsvermogen (Ref.
120179): Hoog, minimale populatieverdubbelingstijd minder dan 15 maanden (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Kwetsbaarheid van de visserij (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (50 of 100).
🛈
