Cladistii (bichirs) >
Polypteriformes (Bichirs) >
Polypteridae (Bichirs)
Etymology: Polypterus: Greek, poly = a lot of + Greek, pteron = wing, fin (Ref. 45335); teugelsi: Named after Guy Teugels, curator of fishes at the Royal Museum for Central Africa (MRAC), in honor of his myriad influential contributions to the systematics of African freshwater fishes (Ref. 51884).
Eponymy: Dr Guy G Teugels (1954–2003) was a Belgian ichthyologist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; pH range: 7.4 - 7.5; dH range: ? - 1. Tropical; 25°C - 27°C (Ref. 51884)
Africa: restricted to upper Cross River in Cameroon (Ref. 51884, 81628).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 41.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 51884)
Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 9; Vertebrae: 63 - 65. Diagnosis: Polypterus teugelsi is distinguished from all congeners by its unique live colouration comprising a network of black marks on an olive background on the dorsal and dorsolateral surface of the body, black pectoral fins, and an orange belly (Ref. 51884). It is further distinguished from species of the Polypterus bichir group by having the dorsal spines not extending anteriorly to the vertical through the posterior margin of the pectoral fin vs. extending to that point, 28-33 predorsal scales vs. 11-16, 7-9 dorsal spines vs. 11-18, and 37-40 scales around the body vs. 42-52 (Ref. 51884). It differs from all remaining Polypterus species, except P. ornatipinnis, by having more scales in the lateral line, 63-65 vs. 51-61 (Ref. 51884). It is distinguished from P. ornatipinnis in having 7-9 dorsal spines vs. 9-11, 28-33 predorsal scales vs. 22-27, 37-40 scales around the body vs. 40-42, and a very different colour pattern (Ref. 51884). It is distinguished from the similar Polypterus retropinnis in having a longer predorsal portion of the body, the predorsal length 46,7-54,8% of standard length vs. 55,7-63,2% and distance between pectoral fin and dorsal fin 18,3-25,2% of standard length vs. 30,2-42,6%; more prepelvic scales, 48-51 vs. 44-46; fewer predorsal scales, 28-33 vs. 33-36; more pectoral-fin rays, 40-42 vs. 26-32; more vertebrae, 63-65 vs. 57-58; in the absence of the distinct black blotch on the pectoral fin base vs. presence; and in the clour pattern of the dorsal and dorsolateral portions of the body, irregular dark marks forming a network vs. large dorsal black blotches (Ref. 51884).
Facultative air-breathing in the genus (Ref. 126274); Most abundant in densely shaded rainforest streams (Ref. 51884).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Britz, R., 2004. Polypterus teugelsi, a new species of bichir from the Upper Cross River system in Cameroon (Actinopterygii: Cladistia: Polypteridae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 15(2):179-186. (Ref. 51884)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5002 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00457 (0.00197 - 0.01063), b=3.05 (2.85 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (40 of 100).
