Guinean bichir

{{Short description|Species of fish}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Guinean bichir

| image = Polypterus ansorgii.jpg

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite journal | author = Olaosebikan, B.D. | author2 = Lalèyè, P. | name-list-style = amp | year = 2010 | title = Polypterus ansorgii | journal = The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species | volume = 2010 | page = e.T182411A7880281 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T182411A7880281.en | doi-access = free }}

| taxon = Polypterus ansorgii

| authority = Boulenger, 1910{{cite web|last=Evans|first=Sean|url=http://www.polypterus.info/p_ansorgii.htm|title=Polypterus ansorgii|publisher=Polypterus.info|access-date=2008-05-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120908025532/http://www.polypterus.info/p_ansorgii.htm|archive-date=2012-09-08|url-status=dead}}

| range_map = Polypterus ansorgii Map.jpg

}}

The Guinean bichir (Polypterus ansorgii) is a ray-finned fish from rivers and other freshwater habitats in Western Africa, ranging from Guinea-Bissau to Nigeria.{{FishBase | genus = Polypterus | species = ansorgii| month = January | year = 2010}} It reaches a maximum length of {{convert|72|cm|in|abbr=on}}, is greenish-brown to black in color, and has large, dark spots and blotches on its sides. On mature specimens, the bottom jaw may protrude very slightly. It is similar to some other bichirs with which it can be confused.

Named in honor of explorer William John Ansorge (1850-1913), who collected type specimen.{{cite web | url = http://www.etyfish.org/polypteriformes/ | title = Order POLYPTERIFORMES (Bichirs) | access-date = 28 February 2021 | author1 = Christopher Scharpf | author2 = Kenneth J. Lazara | name-list-style = amp | work = The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database | publisher = Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara | date = 22 September 2018 | archive-date = 11 October 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211011080608/https://etyfish.org/polypteriformes/ | url-status = dead }}