A visual reference to Polypterid species

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beblondie

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This will cover described species,variations will be covered later.Firstly those members considered UpperJaw species(those in which the upper jaw tends to slightly protrude past the lower jaw,The lower jaw species will follow then variations-Anne
Photo credit are listed by contributors
text credit include but not limited to Fishbase.org.,Aqualog Polypterus

UPPER JAW SPECIES
Post #2-12
Post #2 P.ornatipinnis
Post #3 P.delhezi
Post #4 P.weeksii
Poat #5 P.mokelembembe
Post #6 P.retropinnis
Post #7 P. teugelsi
Post #8 P.senegalus senegalus
Post #9 P.senegalus meridionalis(which may or may not be valid)
Post #10 P.palmas buettikoferi
Post #11 P.palmas palmas
Post# 12 P.palmas polli
LOWER JAR SPECIES
 
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beblondie

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Polypterus ornatipinnis(Polypterus ornatipinnis:eek:r-nate-eh-pin-nis)
Africa: Congo River basin (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Cameroon) (Ref. 3188); Lake Rukwa drainage (Ref. 27292) and Lake Tanganyika (Ref. 4537, Ref. 36901).
Morphology: Dorsal spines (total): 9 - 11; Anal spines: 1415. Subcylindrical body (Ref. 27292, Ref. 36901). Upper and lower jaw of equal length (Ref. 36901, Ref. 42907). Number of dorsal finlets: 9-11 (Ref. 42908, Ref. 51884). Dorsal fin origin well behind pectoral fin (Ref. 4967, Ref. 42873). Ganoid scales (Ref. 27292, Ref. 42904): 58-65 lateral line scales, 38-44 scales around body, 22-27 predorsal scales (Ref. 2970, Ref. 11970, Ref. 42907, Ref. 42908). Dorsal side grey-brown colored, marbled with clear whitish spots (Ref. 11970), the belly is white to yellowish (Ref. 27292). Head finely reticulated (Ref. 42873, Ref. 42901). Fins with white spots alternating with dark spots, forming a continuous bar (Ref. 11970).
photo?DavidR

david r ornate.jpg
 
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beblondie

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Polypterus delhezi(Polypterus delhezi:del-hez-i)
Africa: central basin of Congo River (Ref. 3188).
Morphology: Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 11 – 14. Subcylindrical body (Ref. 42908). Upper and lower jaws reaching to the same level, or the lower jaw is a little shorter (Ref. 42873, Ref. 42901, Ref. 42908). Number of dorsal finlets: 10-13 (Ref. 42908, Ref. 51884). Pectoral fin not reaching dorsal fin origin (Ref. 41588). Ganoid scales (Ref. 42908): 52-58 lateral line scales, 36-40 scales around body, 12-17 predorsal scales (Ref. 41588, Ref. 42848, Ref. 42908, Ref. 51884). Dorsal side gray-olive colored, with 7 to 8 black transversal bars; ventral side yellowish, lighter on ventral side of head (Ref. 41580; Ref. 44841). Spots are forming a black line between the lips and suboperculum (Ref. 41580). Fins yellow with brown or black spots (Ref. 41580).
Photo/XRAYZ

delhezi....xrayz.jpg
 
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beblondie

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Polypterus weeksii(Polypterus weeksii:weeks-ee-i)
Africa: Central basin of Congo River (Ref. 3188).
Morphology: Dorsal spines (total): 9 - 11; Anal spines: 1014. 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).
Photo/XRAYZ

xryaz weeksii.jpg
 
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beblondie

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Polypterus mokelembembe(Polypterus mokelembembe:moe-kay-lee-em-bem-bee(mokèlé-mbèmbé)
Dorsal spines (total): 6-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0. subcylindrical and elongate body, becoming increasingly laterally comressed over its caudal third (Ref. 563367). Head is slighlty flattened dorsoventrally; mouth terminal; lips fleshy; snout comparatively acute (Ref. 56367). Internostril distance 11.6-13.7% of head length (Ref. 56367). Number of dorsal finlets: 6-8 (Ref. 56367). Wide first dorsal-fin spine, 6.4-8.1% of head length (Ref. 56367). Pectoral fins broadly rounded, almost circular, not reaching level of first dorsal spine (Ref. 56367). Ganoid scales (Ref. 56367): 57-60 lateral-line scales, 32-38 scales around body, 32-37 predorsal scales, 42-47 prepelvic scales (Ref. 56367). Visible part of body scales approximately square on flanks and rhomboid on caudal peduncle (Ref. 56367). Slightly elongated lateral-line pores are located on atnerior portion of each scale in the first half and in the central part of the second half of lateral line (Ref. 56367). In preserved specimens, dorsal two thirds of body dark grey overall, with several broad and ill-defined dark grey to black bands and blotches; these dark blotches and bands may converge on dorsal third of body to form braod saddles on anterior half of body in front of first finlet (Ref. 56367). No abrupt transition between the dark dorso-lateral body coloration and the light beige ventral coloration (Ref. 56367). A single large black blotch on pectoral fin base (Ref. 56367).

mokelembe.....jpg
 
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beblondie

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Polypterus retropinnis(Polypterus retropinnis:(retro-pin-nis)
Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 9; Anal spines: 1215; Vertebrae: 57 – 58. Subcylindrical body (Ref. 43035). Jaws mostly about the same length, the upper jaw sometimes a little longer than lower jaw (Ref. 46852). Internostril distance 14.3-18.0% of head length (Ref. 56367). Predorsal length 55.7-63.2% of SL (Ref. 51884). Number of dorsal finlets: 7-9 (Ref. 56367). First dorsal spine narrow, 4.6-6.1% of head length (Ref. 56367). Number of dorsal and caudal rays: 13-16 (Ref. 51884, 56367). Pectoral fin not reaching dorsal fin origin (Ref. 43035). Ganoid scales (Ref. 42904): 56-58 lateral line scales; 30-38 scales around body; 26-34 predorsal scales, 40-46 prepelvic scales (Ref. 56367). Dorsal surface of the body is gray or brown colored, well separated from the ventral surface, which is yellowish (Ref. 46852). Reticulated pattern on dorsal side with olive-colored spots (Ref. 41580); also lower jaw with black spots, which separates it from Polypterus palmas (Ref. 44841, 46861). The pectoral fin, yellow at its base, with a black spot on the distal side (Ref. 41580, 51884, 56367). Other fins have brown spots (Ref. 41580).
Photo/infblue
 

beblondie

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Polypterus teugelsi(Polypterus teugelsi:too-gulls-i)
Vertebrae: 63 – 65. Body elongate, subcylindrical anteriorly with posterior third laterally compressed (Ref. 51884). Head dorsoventrally depressed (Ref. 51884). Mouth terminal with upper jaw projecting beyond lower jaw, lips fleshy (Ref. 51884). Predorsal length 46.7-54.8% of SL (Ref. 51884). Number of dorsal finlets: 6-7, not extending anteriorly to the vertical through the posterior margin of the pectoral fin (Ref. 51884). Number of dorsal and caudal rays: 15-17 (Ref. 51884). Anal fin base short, positioned far posteriorly and proximate to caudal fin (Ref. 51884). Anus immediately anterior of front of anal fin base (Ref. 51884). Scales: 63-65 lateral line scales, 37-40 scales around the body, 28-33 predorsal scales, 48-51 prepelvic scales (Ref. 51884). Live specimens have an unique coloration comprising a network of black marks on an olive background on the dorsal and dorsolateral surface of the body, an orange belly and black pectoral fins (Ref. 51884). In alcohol, dorsal half of body is beige to olive brown with irregular pattern of dark brown marks forming darker network pattern, distinct in juveniles, but blending into background coloration in the largest specimens; ventral half of body uniform whitish; horizontal dark streak extending from below eye to preopercle, second caudoventrally inclined dark streak from below eye to lower jaw; cheek, area around eye, snout, and upper and lower lips freckled with brown spots (Ref. 51884). Pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins with irregular dark brown lines on beige background; soft dorsal, caudal, anal, and pelvic fins with vertical dark lines (Ref. 51884).
Photo/infblue

teugelsiinfblue.jpg
 
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beblondie

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Polypterus senegalus senegalus(Polypterus senegalus:sen-eh-gal-us sen-eh-gal-us)
Africa: Nile basin and West Africa, including Senegal, Gambia, Niger, Volta and Lake Chad basins (Ref. 2835).
Morphology: Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 11; Anal spines: 1117; Vertebrae: 53 – 59. Cylindrical body (Ref. 2835, Ref. 3036, Ref. 30488). Body depth 7.6 to 10.6 times in standard length; head length 5.75 to 7 times in standard length (Ref. 2835, Ref. 45628). Upper jaw slightly prominent or sometimes jaws are of equal length (Ref. 1989, Ref. 2756, Ref. 2835). Dorsal fin with 8-11 finlets, anterior separated from each other when folded (Ref. 42908). Number of branched dorsal and caudal rays: 15-19 (Ref. 367, Ref. 2835, Ref. 3069). Pectoral fin not reaching the first dorsal spine (Ref. 2756, Ref. 28714, Ref. 13851, Ref. 30488). Ganoid scales (Ref. 42904): 53-61 lateral line scales, 32-40 scales around body, 14-21 predorsal scales (Ref. 2835, Ref. 42908, Ref. 43745). Dorsal surface uniform olive-colored and ventral side white, without blotches or marbling (Ref. 367, Ref. 3036, Ref. 30488). Fins are gray-colored (Ref. 367). Young specimens have three dark longitudinal bands on the flanks, but these markings disappear at an early age (Ref. 2835, Ref. 13851, Ref. 31439).
Photo/beblondie

stinky 125.jpg
 
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beblondie

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Polypterus senegalus meridionalis(sen-eh-gal-us meridion-alis)
Africa: Congo River basin, down to Yangambi, including Lualaba River and affluents in Katanga (Congo Dem Rep) (Ref. 3188).
Morphology: Dorsal spines (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 1417. Subcylindrical body (Ref. 43035). Jaws mostly about the same length (Ref. 43035). Number of dorsal finlets: 9-10 (ref. 42908). Pectoral fin not reaching dorsal fin origin (Ref. 43035). Scales: 55-59 lateral line scales, 33-36 scales around body, 15-20 predorsal scales (Ref. 2970, Ref. 42908). Uniform olive-gray colored (Ref. 43035); but the juveniles have three black colored longitudinal bands on the flanks (Ref. 43035, Ref. 44841).
Photo/None available at this time
 

beblondie

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Polypterus palmas buettikoferi(Polypterus palmas buettikofferi :palm-us but-i-coff-er-eye)
Africa: Upper Casamance River in Senegal to the Saint Paul River in western Liberia (Ref. 28149).
Morphology: Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 10; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 13 – 15; Vertebrae: 56 – 58. Cylindrical body (Ref. 28149). Upper jaw a little longer than lower jaw (Ref. 28149). Number of dorsal finlets: 7-10 (Ref. 28149, Ref. 51884). Pectoral fin not reaching dorsal fin origin (Ref. 28149). Scales: 51-57 lateral line scales, 33-38 scales around body, 22-27 predorsal scales (Ref. 28149, Ref. 51884). Dorsal surface of the body is grey colored, ventral surface uniform pale (Ref. 28149). The flanks have numerous small grey spots; the specimens of Guinea and Senegal show a few large, well-separated blotches on the flanks (Ref. 28149). The fleshy base of the pectoral fin grey colored on the posterior side (Ref. 28149). Dorsal fin spotted, pelvic fin unpigmented, pectoral, caudal and anal fins dark (Ref. 28149).

 
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