I got these 5 Polypterus sp. Nigeria from border of Nigeria and Benin today.
in that 5 fish, there is 4 types of species i can id now.
Polypterus sp. Nigeria aff. "bichir"
This species is the most common type of sp. Nigeria we can see these days and also the biggest species between 5 types of sp. Nigeria. (I saw 67cm one at the same import)
It has patterns like endlicheri but head and bodyshape and mostly, their habits are very similar with PBB and Polypterus sp. Faranah.
I think this might can be local variation of Polypterus sp. Faranah, which is western african variation of Polypterus bichir.
This one is Polypyerus sp. Faranah from Guinea
Polypterus sp. Nigeria aff. "sp. dabola 1"
This one remind me a giselas bichir and a type of "Sp. Dabola".
This one looks very similar with P.congicus but after it's color came out, it will looks like the photo below
Big size of Polypterus sp. Nigeria aff. "Sp. Dabola 1"
This photo is from instagram but i can't find the actual owner of that fish because i download this photo too long time ago
Polypterus sp. "Dabola 1" from guinea
This fish is the one have now, quite similar with upper one isn't it?
Polypterus sp. Nigeria "aff. sp. Dabola 2"
This one is more looks like typical Sp. dabola.
Little bit bigger one i have.
Even i can barely ID her between guinean Sp. Dabola.
Polypterus sp. Nigeria aff."endlicehri"
This is the one just looks like an endlicheri from volta river system in Ghana and Benin.
It has thick patterns and just slight of head pattern just like volta endli but you might say black volta endli has much rounder head, but in fact there is many spoon headed or long snooted one with thick patterns like this one in White volta river in Ghana.
P. endlicheri from Benin.
Photo from Rivision of extanct polypteridae (Actinopterygii: Cladistia), Timo Moritz and Ralf Britz 2019.
I don't have any photo of the fifth type, the Polypterus sp. Nigeria aff."Lapradei" now, but soon as i get the photo and date, i will upload it.
In conclusion, i think these 4 unknown species (5 species if include P. sp. Nigeria aff. "Lapradei" i didn't upload yet) of Polypterus are live in Niger river to Nigeria from Guinea and there is some more minor local variation of them by collecting site.
I'll update more data and their growth rate soon as i get and please feel free to share your thought.
Last edited:
