Bichir

Bichirs are freshwater ray-finned fishes in the family Polypteridae, native to Africa. Their elongated bodies, paired lungs, and row of separate dorsal finlets distinguish them from most living fishes.

Polypteridae: A family of African freshwater fishes comprising bichirs and the reedfish. This is the family that contains every bichir species.
Air breathing in fish: The use of atmospheric oxygen by fishes through lungs or other air-breathing organs. Bichirs surface regularly to ventilate their lungs.
Senegal bichir: A small West and Central African bichir, Polypterus senegalus, popular in the aquarium trade. It is a widely kept species and a frequent subject of research on air breathing.
Actinopterygii: The class of vertebrates commonly called ray-finned fishes, including most living fish species. Bichirs are an early-branching lineage within this major vertebrate group.
Comparative anatomy: The study of anatomical similarities and differences among organisms. Bichir lungs, scales, and fins offer points of comparison with other vertebrates.
Dorsal fin: A fish fin located along the back, used mainly for stability and maneuvering. Bichirs divide the dorsal fin into a distinctive series of finlets.
Hypoxia: A condition in which oxygen availability is too low to meet an organism’s needs. Lung breathing helps bichirs tolerate waters with little dissolved oxygen.
Reedfish: Erpetoichthys calabaricus, a slender African fish and the sole living member of its genus. Its long, nearly finless body shows a distinctive form within the bichir family.
Cladistia: A lineage of ray-finned fishes containing bichirs and reedfish. This group represents the closest broader branch containing the bichir family.
Evolutionary developmental biology: The study of how developmental processes evolve and generate biological diversity. Bichir fins help investigate the evolutionary origins of limb-like structures.

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