Polypterus congicus

{{Short description|Species of fish}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Congo bichir

| image = PSM V61 D550 Polypterus congicus with external gills from the congo river.png

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Moelants, T. |date=2010 |title=Polypterus congicus |volume=2010 |page=e.T182116A7805072 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T182116A7805072.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}

| taxon = Polypterus congicus

| authority = Boulenger, 1898

| range_map = Polypterus congicus Map.jpg

| synonyms = * Polypterus endlicherii congicus (Boulenger 1898)

• Polypterus bichir katangae (Poll 1941)
• Polypterus katangae Poll 1941

| synonyms_ref = {{Cite web|last1=Froese|first1=R.|last2=Pauly|first2=D.|year=2017|title=Polypteridae |url=http://www.fishbase.se/Summary/FamilySummary.php?ID=31|website=FishBase version (02/2017)|accessdate=18 May 2017}}{{cite journal |last1=Van Der Laan |first1=Richard |last2=Eschmeyer |first2=William N. |last3=Fricke |first3=Ronald |title=Family-group names of Recent fishes |journal=Zootaxa |date=11 November 2014 |volume=3882 |issue=1 |pages=1–230 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1 |pmid=25543675 |doi-access=free }}

}}

Polypterus congicus, the Congo bichir, is a species of bichir with a maximum recorded size of {{convert|970|mm|in}}. The colour also varies from yellowish brown to grey, darker in the top, paler in the ventral area. It has a pattern of around 8 irregular vertical bands along the flanks of the fish, that do not extend completely onto the ventral surface. The lower jaw is prominent, much like Polypterus endlicherii. The male has a wider and thicker anal fin. These fish are commonly sold as pets.