Congicus - Katangae (カタンガエ) and Kongigusu (コンギクス)

[Hendre]

Maybe u don't have to buy them. Just locate a creek or tributary in your South Africa region and cast a net. might capture a new specie

Not here man. I'm in the cooler water region lol. No polypterus in Southern Africa

 

[jaws7777]

Bump to this thread. We havent played detective in a few days lol

So is this the two catch locations Lualaba river inDemocratic Republic of Congo and congicus.sp.aff in Lake Tanganyika in Zambia that are accepted ?

The sp.oningo still confuses me.

Looking at some pics of ghost congi the twin lines/stripes on the head are not there maybe just this particular fish's patterns but what do you guys think ? Also not sure if it shows much in the pics but his jaw line is more square and the upper haw has more of a slope to it than the congi from hao
Pics posted by van and hao

Pics of ghost congi and the congi i recieved from hao

shookONES the congi in quesrion originated with you (has the dent on the left side towards the tail) can you shed any light on where it was imported from ?

Disclaimer : I couldnt care less if these congi were caught in the hudson they would still be just as valuable to me. I only want to learn more about the species lol

Kongigusu (square head shape)

View attachment 1223738

Here is what King-eL wrote on a few facebook polypterus group recently:


It's confirmed that Polypterus senegalus meridionalis do exist. However the only Polypterid that still up in the air if they do exist or not. Perhaps just a synonym of Polypterus congicus as Frank Schafer as pointed out, is Polypterus bichir katangae. The closest we can get as of right now is the particular Congicus from Lualaba river as that was when Poll discovered a Polypterid and named it Polypterus bichir katangae. However Frank Schafer book stated it's just a synonym of... Polypterus congicus. Now both Congicus from Lualaba river in Democratic Republic of Congo and Congicus in Lake Tanganyika in Zambia around Kalambo area (Southern part of the lake) known as Polypterus sp. aff. "Congicus" aka Giselas bichir have similar characteristics that makes them different from the actual Polypterus congicus that are commonly seen. While many Polypterus congicus have twin stripes on the forehead similar to that of Polypterus bichir bichir and Polypterus bichir lapradei. Polypterus sp. aff. "Congicus" have circular or coronet patterns instead of twin stripes. This patterns can also be seen on some variants of Polypterus endlicheri especially from the Niger River in Nigerian areas. The problem now is, if you take a good closer look of the Natural Museum specimen first pic and second pics, they look just like Polypterus bichir complex as the faint patterns shown looks similar to Polypterus bichir lapradei. The rest of the pics just shows juveniles and kinda hard to tell. Now Japan have some particular Polypterid found in White Nile River in Uganda around Onigo area. It's the very first recorded of existence of Polypterus bichir lapradei in the East of Africa. Now Uganda is just border line close to Democratic Republic of Congo. Could Poll found this particular Polypterid on that time that looks simolar to Polypterus sp. "Onigo" and named it Polypterus bichir katangae back then? This now just confuses me even more. Is which really is the actual Polypterus bichir katagae, the Polypterus sp. aff. "Congicus or Polypterus sp. "Onigo" which is just a Polypterus bichir lapradei.

Pics credit from Aqualog book and Leaf-Int Japan
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Polypterus sp. aff. "Congicus" aka Giselas bichir from Lake Tangikyika, Zambia around Kalambo area (Southern part of the lake)
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Polypterus congicus "Lualaba river" in Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Polypterus sp. "Onigo" from White Nile River, Uganda in Onigo area
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Polypterus sp. "Onigo" on left and Polypterus bichir bichir on right.
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Polypterus congicus twin stripes on the forehead
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As for the 1st set of photos, King eL also said:

This is specimen from Natural History Museum. Actual specimen that was caught by Poll in Lualaba river in Democratic Republic of Congo. However no Lapradei exist in Congo. That's why Polypterus bichitr katangae is still in questions if it does exist or not. Frank Schafer noted that it's just a synonym to Congicus.

Also one of the very reason I added polypterus sp. "onigo" in the topics as it too is a possible contender for polypterus bichit katangae. Since polypterus sp. "onigo" is the very first lapradei found in east africa. Also the location is Uganda which is just borderline close to Democratic Republic of Congo. So some sp. "onigo" might have been swimming in DRC. I just couldn't confirm is there is a river that connects or there is really a bichir complex in DRC. Also congicus are part of bichirs group so Lualaba congicus and sp. aff. "Congicus" are also contenders for being Polypterus bichir katangae.

Until we can find a bichir complex in Congo, then we can scratch lualaba congicus and sp. aff. "Congicus" and can finally name polypterus bichir katangae. So far we do not have solid data.

 

[jaws7777]

To add the Lualaba river does connect to lake tanganyika which would allow both congi from the congo and the zambia edge of the lake access to each other

 

[Vancouver_98683]

Post a pic of the described dent near the back. Many congis will have a slight horizontal dent. It separates the upper and lower muscle. Think your ghost congis is just more pronounced from a birth defects perhaps.

 

[jaws7777]

The dent isnt the question. If i remember correctly shookones said it was on him when he got it.

Im horrible at noticing the finer details that you guys recognize. Wanted you all to look mostly at the headshape and patterns on the head on ghost vs hao congi and the ones you guys posted pics of

 

[Hao]

Bump to this thread. We havent played detective in a few days lol

So is this the two catch locations Lualaba river inDemocratic Republic of Congo and congicus.sp.aff in Lake Tanganyika in Zambia that are accepted ?

The sp.oningo still confuses me.

Looking at some pics of ghost congi the twin lines/stripes on the head are not there maybe just this particular fish's patterns but what do you guys think ? Also not sure if it shows much in the pics but his jaw line is more square and the upper haw has more of a slope to it than the congi from hao
Pics posted by van and hao
View attachment 1228281 View attachment 1228282 View attachment 1228283
Pics of ghost congi and the congi i recieved from hao
View attachment 1228285 View attachment 1228286
shookONES the congi in quesrion originated with you (has the dent on the left side towards the tail) can you shed any light on where it was imported from ?

Disclaimer : I couldnt care less if these congi were caught in the hudson they would still be just as valuable to me. I only want to learn more about the species lol






View attachment 1228287

Is the last photo the ghost congicus too? If so I see the racing stripes. It's just not fully stable in color so the racing stripes aren't showing 100%.
Here you can't see any racing stripes.

 

[jaws7777]

Is the last photo the ghost congicus too? If so I see the racing stripes. It's just not fully stable in color so the racing stripes aren't showing 100%.
Here you can't see any racing stripes.
View attachment 1228369

Good catch hao. Come to think of im looking at the fish right now and they are there clear as day. Some of them are still changing appearence with the garnet sand. I figured the change if anywould be drastic and immediate.... more like subtle and gradual.

Just taken with and without flash.

 

[shookONES]

I don't remember which of my Congicus you ended up with, but I had a few from Monster Aquarium, a few that a friend had imported himself, and a few that were brought in from another vendor. Doubt that's any help haha.

 

[jaws7777]

I don't remember which of my Congicus you ended up with, but I had a few from Monster Aquarium, a few that a friend had imported himself, and a few that were brought in from another vendor. Doubt that's any help haha.

Lol no it doesnt haha u keeping any ooly atm or u on a break ?

 

[Alexkoj]

Thread deserves a bump. First few pages are informative. Congicus with a PBB's head jeez there's so much left to be discovered.