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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.
Environnement : milieu / zone climatique / profondeur / gamme de distribution
Écologie
; eau douce démersal. Tropical
Africa: middle Congo River basin (Ref. 3188) in Republic of Congo (Ref. 44840) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 42907).
Taille / Poids / Âge
Maturité: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 54.0 cm TL mâle / non sexé; (Ref. 3188)
Description synthétique
Clés d'identification | Morphologie | Morphométrie
Épines dorsales (Total) : 9 - 11; Épines anales: 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)
Cycle de vie et comportement reproducteur
Maturité | Reproduction | Frai | Œufs | Fécondité | Larves
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)
Statut dans la liste rouge de l'IUCN (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2 (Global))
Menace pour l'homme
Harmless
Utilisations par l'homme
Outils
Articles particuliers
Télécharger en XML
Sources Internet
Estimations basées sur des modèles
Indice de diversité phylogénétique (Réf.
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).
Niveau trophique (Réf.
69278): 3.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Résilience (Réf.
120179): Haut, temps minimum de doublement de population inférieur à 15 mois (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnérabilité de la pêche (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (42 of 100).
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