Cladistii (bichirs) >
Polypteriformes (Bichirs) >
Polypteridae (Bichirs)
Etymology: Polypterus: Greek, poly = a lot of + Greek, pteron = wing, fin (Ref. 45335); weeksii: Named after Rev. J.H. Weeks, collector of the type-specimen (Ref. 45628).
Eponymy: Rev John Henry Weeks (1861–1924) was a pioneering Baptist missionary in Congo (1882– 1912) who was also an ethnographer, explorer and diarist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Boulenger.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
Africa: middle Congo River basin (Ref. 3188) in Republic of Congo (Ref. 44840) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 42907).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 54.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3188)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 9 - 11; Anal spines: 10 - 14. Body more or less compressed (Ref. 42873, Ref. 42901, Ref. 42907). Body depth 6.5 to 9.5 times in standard length; head length 4.25 to 5.5 times in standard length (Ref. 42907). Upper jaw slightly prominent or of equal length with lower jaw (Ref. 1878, Ref. 42907). Number of dorsal finlets: 9-11 (Ref. 42908, Ref. 51884). Number of branched dorsal and caudal rays: 15 (Ref. 49956). Pectoral fin not reaching dorsal fin origin (Ref. 42873, Ref. 45628). Ganoid scales (Ref. 42904): 57-65 lateral line scales, 44-48 scales around body, 20-26 predorsal scales (Ref. 42908, Ref. 44840, Ref. 44985). Dorsal side olive-green to gray colored, ventral side yellowish; 7 or 8 blackish bars bifurcating on the lower parts of the flanks (Ref. 1878, Ref. 4904, Ref. 44985). Fins are spotted, marbled, or irregularly barred with black (Ref. 4904).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: compressed.
Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274)
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Gosse, J.-P., 1984. Polypteridae. p. 18-29. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). Volume I. ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. 410 p. (Ref. 3188)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5003 [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 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (42 of 100).
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