Bichirs
Nile Bichir
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Polypteriformes Family: Polypteridae
Genera
Erpetoichthys Polypterus

The bichirs are a family (Polypteridae) of primitive ray-finned fishes, the sole family in the order Polypteriformes. They have thick bonelike scales and a series of dorsal finlets instead of a single fin. All 16 recognized species occur in freshwater habitats in Africa. They are popular subjects of public and large hobby aquaria.

Taxonomy

• Genus Erpetoichthys
  • Erpetoichthys calabaricus - Reedfish or Ropefish
• Genus Polypterus
  • Polypterus ansorgii - Guinean Bichir
  • Polypterus bichir bichir - Nile Bichir
  • Polypterus bichir katangae
  • Polypterus bichir lapradei
  • Polypterus delhezi - Barred Bichir
  • Polypterus endlicheri congicus
  • Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri - Saddled Bichir
  • Polypterus ornatipinnis - Ornate Bichir
  • Polypterus palmas buettikoferi
  • Polypterus palmas palmas - Shortfin Bichir
  • Polypterus palmas polli
  • Polypterus retropinnis - West African Bichir
  • Polypterus senegalus meridionalis
  • Polypterus senegalus senegalus - Gray Bichir
  • Polypterus weeksii - Mottled Bichir

External link

• FishBase entry for Polypteridae (http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/FamilySummary.cfm?ID=31)

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