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Polypterus endlicherii Heckel, 1847

Saddled bichir
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Polypterus endlicherii
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Burkina Faso country information

Common names: Kuilwaafo, Sajigɛ
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: live export: yes;
Comments: Known from Volta River basin (Ref. 2835, 3003, 3069, 43442, 43711, 45893, 81263) and Comoé River (Ref. 2835, 3003, 3006, 81263).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/uv.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Gosse, J.P. and J. Daget, 2003
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Cladistii (bichirs) > Polypteriformes (Bichirs) > Polypteridae (Bichirs)
Etymology: Polypterus: Greek, poly = a lot of + Greek, pteron = wing, fin (Ref. 45335).
  More on author: Heckel.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243).   Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: Nile River, Chad basin, Niger River, Volta River, Bandama River, Comoé River and Ouémé River (Ref. 2835, 81263).

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 32.0  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 65.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 123661); max. published weight: 3.4 kg (Ref. 123661)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 11 - 14; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 9 - 18; Vertebrae: 53 - 57. Diagnosis: lower jaw longer than upper jaw; pectoral fin reaching first dorsal ray (Ref. 2835, 42908, 81263). 11-14 dorsal finlets (Ref. 28714, 122071), the first situated above the pectoral fins; head flat or slightly concave between the eyes but not convex (Ref. 28714). Third dorsal scale row the first to reach ventral midline; predorsal length short, 21.7-27.4 % SL; few (4-5, rarely 6), broad (more than 3 scale rows wide), dark transverse bars extending from dorsum to middle of flank by confluence of dorsal and lateral blotches sometimes including ventrolateral markings (Ref. 122071).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Inhabits swamps and rivers. Essentially piscivorous (Ref. 9695, 28714). Diet includes snails and crustaceans (Ref. 30488).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Gosse, J.P. and J. Daget, 2003. Polypteridae. p. 101-112. In D. Paugy, C. Lévêque and G.G Teugels (eds.) The fresh and brackish water fishes of West Africa Volume 1. Coll. faune et flore tropicales 40. Institut de recherche de développement, Paris, France, Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris, France and Musée royal de l'Afrique Central, Tervuren, Belgium, 457p. (Ref. 81263)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 07 June 2019

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial
FAO(Publication : search) | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet compositions
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Ecology
Ecology
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Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5002   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00437 (0.00273 - 0.00698), b=3.08 (2.94 - 3.22), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.8   ±0.63 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Moderate to high vulnerability (52 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Unknown.