Delhezi Bichir

The Delhezi Bichir (Polypterus delhezi) is a member of the ancient family Polypteridae, native to rivers of the Congo River basin in Central Africa. It is one of the more boldly patterned bichir species, marked by strong dark vertical bars along its body rather than the reticulated networks seen in relatives like the Ornate Bichir. Bichirs are notable for retaining primitive traits including paired lungs used for air breathing and a row of separate spiny dorsal finlets. The species remains a widespread, distinctive inhabitant of Congo Basin freshwater systems.

The Delhezi Bichir is identified by its striking pattern and body form:

• Elongated, cylindrical, eel-like body
• Bold dark vertical bars running across a yellow-tan to olive base color, its most distinctive feature
• A row of small, separate spiny finlets along the back rather than one continuous dorsal fin
• Broad, flattened head with a protruding lower jaw
• Paired, paddle-shaped pectoral fins used for slow maneuvering

This clear vertical barring distinguishes it from the net-patterned Ornate Bichir and other plainer, mottled bichir species.

This species inhabits freshwater rivers, tributaries, and floodplain margins of the Congo River basin in Central Africa. It favors slow-flowing to still water with cover from submerged vegetation, roots, or debris, where it rests during daylight hours. Like other bichirs, the Delhezi Bichir can breathe air using paired lungs, allowing it to tolerate warm, oxygen-poor water conditions found in stagnant or slow-flowing sections of its Congo Basin range.

Delhezi Bichir are primarily nocturnal, solitary fish that remain hidden near cover during the day and become active hunters after dark, relying on strong senses of smell and touch to locate prey such as small fish, insects, and crustaceans in low-visibility water. They regularly surface to gulp air through their lungs, supplementing gill respiration in oxygen-depleted habitats. Movement combines body undulation with paired pectoral fins for slow, precise positioning near cover. As with other bichirs, reproductive details in the wild are not well documented, but eggs are believed to be scattered among vegetation with no ongoing parental care.