Congo Bichir
📖 Overview
Facultative air-breathing ; This carnivorous fish lives in streams, lakes and zones of flood. In Lake Tanganyika it is mostly found at the mouth or delta of rivers and lagoons . Not commercially important .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 15; Anal spines: 12 - 15. Compressed body. Lower jaw prominent, longer than upper jaw . Number of dorsal finlets: 12-15 . Pectoral fin reaching dorsal fin origin . Ganoid scales: 55-59 lateral line scales, 46-52 scales around body, 11-16 predorsal scales. Dorsal side gray colored, ventral side paler, yellowish, with 6 to 9 darker transversal bars. Fins with weak blackish spots .: elongated; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Congo Bichir is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Freshwater; demersal; depth range 0 - 10 m . Tropical widespread in the Congo River basin; also present in Lake Tanganyika (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Congo Bichir |
| 🇩🇪German | Kongoflösselhecht |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | ポリプテルス・コンギクス |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 黃金恐龍 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polypterus bichir katangae | Poll | 1941 | Synonym |
| Polypterus endlicheri concicus | Boulenger | 1898 | Synonym |
| Polypterus endlicheri congicus | Boulenger | 1898 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 61 records indexed .
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