Polypterus Species

[JohnFM]

So as far as I'm aware there are roughly 12 species of extant Polypterid fish, with a few additional sub-species.

How many of these are actually available in the trade, or are kept by people out there?


1. Erpetoichthys calabaricus

2. Polypterus ansorgii

3a. Polypterus bichir bichir
3b. Polypterus bichir katangae
3c. Polypterus bichir lapradei

4. Polypterus delhezi

5a. Polypterus endlicheri congicus
5b. Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri

6. Polypterus mokelembembe

7. Polypterus ornatipinnis

8a. Polypterus palmas buettikoferi
8b. Polypterus palmas palmas
8c. Polypterus palmas polli

9. Polypterus retropinnis

10a. Polypterus senegalus meridionalis
10b. Polypterus senegalus senegalus

11. Polypterus teugelsi

12. Polypterus weeksii

 

[nmonks]

Depends what you mean by "available". Only four are sold in large quantities: ropefish, Senegal bichirs, ornate bichirs, and the fish known as "Polypterus palmas" in the trade but likely something else.

All the others are seen from time to time. But these may be very infrequent. I've come across Polypterus bichir maybe once in twenty years. Others, like Polypterus lapradei, appear to be being bred in captivity now and are increasingly available. Wildwoods in Enfield is without a doubt the best place to get hold of bichirs (in the UK at least).

As for how many species there are, I suggest you brush up on your knowledge of taxonomy before getting too bogged down in that. Currently some species are divided into subspecies by some authors, but recognised as groups of multiple distinct species by others. I did my PhD in taxonomy, and would make this observation to aquarists who don't have a zoology degree: species are not like stamps, and you can't collect them like stamps. What defines a species varies between researchers, often depending on the criteria being used.

To take an example: the "green spotted puffer" was formerly considered a single species Tetraodon fluviatilis. On the basis of colouration, aquarists now recognise two species, T. fluviatilis and T. nigroviridis. However the genetics is quite clear on the fact that there are at least three species within the "green spotted puffer" group, none of which can be 100% securely identified on colouration alone!

It's entirely possible that some of the species that make up the Polypterus palmas group for example will turn out to be genetically distinct but morphologically identical. Or conversely, some of the supposed physical differences like colouration and number of finlets turn out to be completely misleading (and therefore useless) compared to the genetic differences.

Cheers, Neale

 

[beblondie]

the most current listing
Species and sizes
maximum known sizes often smaller in captivity
Upper Jaw Species-Upper jaw protrudes past lower jaw
P. palmas palmas ('palmas' bichir)- 13"
(subspecies)P. palmas polli ('marbled bichir)- 14"
(subspecies) P. palmas buettikoferi ('buettikoferi' bichir)- 13"
P. ornatipinnis ('ornate' bichir)- 27"
P. delhezi ('armoured' or 'delhez's' bichir)- 14"
P. senegalus senegalus ('Senegal' or 'Cuiver's' bichir)- 12"
(possible subspecies)P. senegalus meridionalis- 12"+
There is, Also the possibility of a third member of the Polypterus senegalus
group that is found in the Nile River
P. retropinnis ('retropinnis' bichir)- 14"
P .mokelembembe
P. weeksi ('week's' bichir)- 20"
P.teugelsi (found only in the Cross river)-16.75''
E. calabaricus ('Ropefish')- 15"-30" (Closer to 15''-20'' in captivity)

Lower Jaw Species-Lower protrudes past upper jaw
P. endlicheri endlicheri ('saddled' or 'red' bichir)- 32", possibly more
(subspecies)P. endlicheri congicus ('giant' or 'congo' bichir)- 39"
P. Bichir lapradei ('Lapradei' bichir)- 24"
P. bichir bichir-30+ ''
P.ansorgii-28-30''+

All the above have been available in the trade.One just needs to know where to look-Anne

 

[Straydum]

i'm quite certain you could get hold of almost all of them if you have the cash to pay.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Depends what you mean by "available". Only four are sold in large quantities: ropefish, Senegal bichirs, ornate bichirs, and the fish known as "Polypterus palmas" in the trade but likely something else.

Those (although you could probably add delhezi) are the ones that shops will order often (I say often, more like 'these are the ones they'll usually have because they're cheap and sell well). *Most* of the others aren't too hard to get either via the internet or asking the shop to order them- they definately are available but don't get collected in large numbers and are usually bought quite quickly. Shops (excluding places like Wildwoods) don't really order them because they're much more expensive, usually grow big and most customers don't care on the exact species anyway.