Bichir

Bichirs and reedfish are a family of ancient ray-finned fish, the only family in the order Polypteriformes. These Bichirs come from Africa in the Nile River system, mainly in swampy, shallow floodplains and estuaries. Bichirs are mainly bottom dwellers that feed on crustaceans, mollusks, and small fishes. Bichirs have a long, slender body, with a pair of pectoral fins, and a pair of dorsal fins, and are well adapted to life in their watery habitats. Bichirs have a unique adaptation: instead of gills, they possess a series of paired respiratory organs called 'lungs' which they use to breathe air. This allows the Bichirs to survive in areas with low oxygen content, or when the water is too warm or too cold for other species. Reedfish, on the other hand, are smaller and slenderer than bichirs, and are mainly found in shallow, slow-moving waters. Reedfish feed on worms, insects, and small fish, and can survive in oxygen-poor water. Both species are of great interest to researchers because of their primitive characteristics and the fact that they are a living link to the past.