Polypterus senegalus: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the polypterus senegalus lives – recorded in 3 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Polypterus senegalus
Group	Bony fish
Status	Least concern (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Found in	3 countries
Continents	Africa
Diet (main food)	insect
Class	Ray-finned fish
Order	Polypteriformes
Family	Polypteridae

Where does the polypterus senegalus live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the polypterus senegalus in 3 countries and territories across Africa.

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

What does a polypterus senegalus eat?

Wikidata lists the main food source of the polypterus senegalus as: insect.

Is the polypterus senegalus endangered?

The polypterus senegalus’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Least concern” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.

What kind of animal is the polypterus senegalus?

The polypterus senegalus (Polypterus senegalus) is a ray-finned fish in the order Polypteriformes and the family Polypteridae, genus Polypterus. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the polypterus senegalus

Polypterus senegalus, commonly known as the Senegal bichir, gray bichir or Cuvier's bichir, is an African species of ray-finned fish in the bichir family, Polypteridae. It is a typical example of polypterid fishes, as most of its defining physical features are common across the genus, such as its ancient, lungfish- or arowana-like appearance, the ability to breathe atmospheric oxygen, and its armor-like scales. These factors have influenced the species' popularity in captivity, and it is commonly kept by aquarists and other hobbyists.

P. senegalus is sometimes, confusingly, called the "dinosaur eel" or "dragon fish", among other misnomers; however, the bichir is not an eel, nor is it a reptile or dinosaur.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Polypterus senegalus (revision 1379846829), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q1515914 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).