Upper and lower jaw polypterus

[Charney]

From reading a bunch of posts on polypterus I noticed there was a lot of mention on whether the fish was an upper or lower jaw species. What is the significance of being an upper or lower jaw sp. I do not think I have ever came across this in anything else I have read. Thanks

 

[beblondie]

Upper Jaw Species-Upper jaw protrudes past lower jaw
P. palmas palmas ('palmas' bichir)- 13"
(subspecies)P. palmas polli ('marbled bichir)- 14"(there seems to be evidence to promote this to its own species)
(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 ('retropinnis' bichir)- 14"
(subspecies)P. retropinnis lowei ('Lowe's' bichir)- 12"
P. weeksi ('week's' bichir)- 20"
P.teugelsi (found only in the Cross river)
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*
There are a couple of as-yet-undescribed (scientifically) Polypterids
You'll note that the upper jaw species are generaly smaller in size then the lower jaw species.-Anne

 

[MarlboroMan]

Ive noticed the bichirs being different also. The lower jaws bichirs look flatter and the upper jaw bichirs look rounder. Snakeheads also have this look.

 

[beblondie]

Theres a general theory that the lower jaws species are the more primitive than the upper jaw species.
Polypterids/bichirs are fish caught in evolution they posess a combination of characteristics which are both actinopterygian (teleosts and their relatives)
and sarcopterygians (tetrapods, coelacanths, lungfishes and related groups). -Anne

 

[weicong]

Theres a general theory that the lower jaws species are the more primitive than the upper jaw species.
Polypterids/bichirs are fish caught in evolution they posess a combination of characteristics which are both actinopterygian (teleosts and their relatives)
and sarcopterygians (tetrapods, coelacanths, lungfishes and related groups). -Anne

I have seen Endlicheri having an upper jaw.

 

[kido]

I have seen Endlicheri having an upper jaw.

those are probably defects..

 

[Jesse]

Theres a general theory that the lower jaws species are the more primitive than the upper jaw species.

Sssshh . . . don't tell my upper jaws that or they will soon taunt my lower jaws with derisive remarks about being "evolutionarily challenged."

 

[weicong]

those are probably defects..

hmmmm maybe.

 

[xmh]

Ya

 

[Kristinn]

hi wazzup??