What is "polypterus bichir"

Bichir \Bi*chir"\, n. [Native name.] (Zo["o]l.) A remarkable ganoid fish ( Polypterus bichir) found in the Nile and other African rivers. See Brachioganoidei.

Polypterus bichir, the Nile bichir, is a fish which lives in the Nile and some of its tributaries in Africa. It is a dark grayish color on the top, with a dark vertical marking and bands on the flank. This marking is more prominent on juveniles, and fades as the fish grows.