Polypterus identification superthread

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Hendre

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Polypterus teugelsi

Pronunciation
Po-lyp-ter-us too-gulls-i

Location
Found in the Cross river drainage in Cameroon

Morphology
  • Vertebrae: 63-65
  • Body elongate, subcylindrical anteriorly with posterior third laterally compressed
  • Head dorsoventrally depressed
  • Mouth terminal with upper jaw projecting beyond lower jaw, lips fleshy
  • Predorsal length 46.7-54.8% of SL
  • Number of dorsal finlets: 6-7, not extending anteriorly to the vertical through the posterior margin of the pectoral fin
  • Number of dorsal and caudal rays: 15-17
  • Anal fin base short, positioned far posteriorly and proximate to caudal fin
  • Anus immediately anterior of front of anal fin base
  • 63-65 lateral line scales
  • 37-40 scales around the body
  • 28-33 predorsal scales
  • 48-51 prepelvic scales
  • 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
  • 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
  • Pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins with irregular dark brown lines on beige background; soft dorsal, caudal, anal, and pelvic fins with vertical dark lines

Photo
1586852310982.png
 

Hendre

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Polypterus senegalus senegalus

Pronunciation
Po-lyp-ter-us sen-eh-gal-us sen-eh-gal-us

Location
Nile basin and West Africa, including Senegal, Gambia, Niger, Volta and Lake Chad basins

Morphology
  • Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 11
  • Anal spines: 11-17
  • Vertebrae: 53-59
  • Cylindrical body
  • Body depth 7.6 to 10.6 times in standard length
  • Head length 5.75 to 7 times in standard length
  • Upper jaw slightly prominent or sometimes jaws are of equal length (
  • Dorsal fin with 8-11 finlets, anterior separated from each other when folded
  • Number of branched dorsal and caudal rays: 15-19
  • Pectoral fin not reaching the first dorsal spine
  • Ganoid scales
  • 53-61 lateral line scales
  • 32-40 scales around body
  • 14-21 predorsal scales
  • Dorsal surface uniform olive-colored and ventral side white, without blotches or marbling
  • Fins are gray-colored
  • Young specimens have three dark longitudinal bands on the flanks, but these markings disappear at an early age .

Photo
1586853000465.png
 

Hendre

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Polypterus senegalus meriodionalis

Pronunciation
Po-lyp-ter-us sen-eh-gal-us meridion-alis

Location
Congo River basin, down to Yangambi, including Lualaba River and affluent rivers in Katanga

Morphology
  • Dorsal spines (total): 9 - 10
  • Anal spines: 14-17
  • Subcylindrical body
  • Jaws mostly about the same length
  • Number of dorsal finlets: 9-10
  • Pectoral fin not reaching dorsal fin origin
  • 55-59 lateral line scales
  • 33-36 scales around body
  • 15-20 predorsal scales
  • Uniform olive-gray colored but the juveniles have three black colored longitudinal bands on the flanks

Photo
1586853514800.png

I believe this photo can be credited to giseok jung giseok jung
 

Hendre

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Polypterus palmas buettikofferi

Pronunciation
Po-lyp-ter-us palm-us but-i-coff-er-eye

Location
Upper Casamance River in Senegal to the Saint Paul River in western Liberia

Morphology
  • Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 10
  • Anal spines: 0
  • Anal soft rays: 13-15
  • Vertebrae: 56-58
  • Cylindrical body
  • Upper jaw a little longer than lower jaw
  • Number of dorsal finlets: 7-10
  • Pectoral fin not reaching dorsal fin origin
  • 51-57 lateral line scales
  • 33-38 scales around body
  • 22-27 predorsal scales
  • Dorsal surface of the body is grey colored, ventral surface uniform pale
  • The flanks have numerous small grey spots; the specimens of Guinea and Senegal show a few large, well-separated blotches on the flanks
  • The fleshy base of the pectoral fin grey colored on the posterior side
  • Dorsal fin spotted, pelvic fin unpigmented, pectoral, caudal and anal fins dark

Photo
1586853826147.png
 

Hendre

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Polypterus palmas palmas

Pronunciation
Po-lyp-ter-us palm-us palm-us

Location
Cavally River basin in Côte d'Ivoire and the river basins of eastern Liberia up to the St. John River

Morphology
  • Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 9
  • Anal spines: 12-14
  • Vertebrae: 56-59
  • Cylindrical body
  • Upper jaw prominent, a little longer than lower jaw
  • Number of dorsal finlets: 7-9
  • Pectoral fin not reaching dorsal fin orig
  • Ganoid scales
  • 55-58 lateral line scales
  • 33-39 scales around body
  • 25-32 predorsal scales
  • Dorsal surface of the body is grey colored, with dark grey to black irregular blotches forming a dense and reticulate pattern, ventral surface uniform pale
  • The fleshy base of the pectoral fin with small spots on the posterior part
  • Dorsal fin spotted, no dark coloration on pelvic and anal fin

Photo
1586855356068.png
 

Hendre

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Polypterus palmas polli

Pronunciation
Po-lyp-ter-us palm-us poll-i

Location
Lower and central Congo basin

Morphology
  • Dorsal spines (total): 5 - 7
  • Anal spines: 0
  • Anal soft rays: 14
  • Vertebrae: 50-56
  • Cylindrical body
  • Upper jaw a little longer than lower jaw
  • Number of dorsal finlets: 5-7, used to distinguish Polypterus palmas polli from P. p. palmas and P. p. buettikoferi
  • Pectoral fin not reaching dorsal fin origin
  • Ganoid scales
  • 52-55 lateral line scales
  • 32-39 scales around body
  • 22-28 predorsal scales
  • Dorsal surface and flanks with large black blotches, forming a dense reticulate pattern
  • Ventral surface uniform pale
  • The fleshy base of the pectoral fin with a large grey to black spot (Ref. 28149,
  • Dorsal fin spotted, pectoral fin with a striped pattern in some specimens, pelvic fin pale and anal fin sometimes slightly colored

Photo
1586856035916.png
 
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