Zaire pike
| Zaire pike | ||||||||||||
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Zaire pike ( Polypterus delhezi ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Polypterus delhezi | ||||||||||||
| Boulenger , 1899 |
The Zaire pike ( Polypterus delhezi ) is a species from the family of pike (Polypteridae). The fish live in the central river basin of the Congo in rivers, lakes and flooded areas. Like all pike, it lives close to the ground and predatory feeds on smaller animals.
features
Polypterus delhezi becomes a maximum of 44 centimeters long. The upper jaw is slightly longer or the same length as the lower jaw. On his back he has 10 to 13 of the typical flössel pike. The anal fin has 11 to 14 fin rays . The pectoral fins extend not applied to the first Flössel. The upper and lower jaws are the same length, or the lower jaw is slightly shorter.
As with all pike, its body is covered with hard ganoid scales. The number of scales along the lateral line organ is 52 to 58, a row around the body has 36 to 40 scales. There are 12 to 17 sheds in front of the rafts.
The fish are olive gray, the belly yellowish or white. The underside of the head is also lighter. On the flanks, Polypterus delhezi has seven to eight irregular but clearly visible black cross bars that extend from the back to the middle of the side. The fins are yellow with black or brown spots or a dark cross-mark.
Polypterus delhezi reproduces during the rainy season.
literature
- Günther Sterba : The world's freshwater fish. 2nd Edition. Urania, Leipzig / Jena / Berlin 1990, ISBN 3-332-00109-4 .
Web links
- Zaire Flösselhecht on Fishbase.org (English)
- Polypterus delhezi inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: Moelants, T., 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2014.