Polypterus palmas

Polypterus palmas

Polypterus palmas is a freshwater fish of the family of bichirs ( Polypteridae ), which occurs in West Africa from Senegal Casamancefluss in Saint Paul and St. John River in Liberia until Cavally on the border between Liberia and the Ivory Coast. Synonyms of type Polypterus buettikoferi Steindachner, 1891, Polypterus lowei Boulenger, 1911 and Polypterus retropinnis lowei Boulenger, 1911.

Features

Polypterus palmas is a maximum of 35.3 cm inches long. The covered Ganoidschuppen elongated body is approximately circular in the front two-thirds of the cross section. The last third of the body is flattened laterally. The fish are colored gray on the back side and show there dark spots that form a dense, checkerboard-like or net-like pattern. With age, the drawing may fade. The body sides are slightly lighter, the belly is plain and pale yellowish. The upper jaw of the fish is slightly longer than the lower jaw and faces. The fleshy fin bases of the pectoral fins are mottled dark in the rear section. The Flössel show dark Fleckungen. Abdominal and anal fins are unspotted. Polypterus palmas has 55 to 58 scales in a row along the lateral line, 33 to 39 scales in a row around the body and 25 to 32 scales before the first Flössel. The number of vertebrae is 56 to 59 The number of Rückenflössel is 7 to 9, and is thus low in comparison with other Flösselhechten. The anal fin is supported 12-14 fin rays. The pectoral fins forming applied very far before the first Flössel.