any of about 10 species of tropical African fishes of the genus Polypterus. Bichirs and the eel-like reedfish, Calamoichthys (sometimes called Erpetoichthys calabaricus), are of the family Polypteridae, order Polypteriformes. Like the sturgeons and paddlefishes, they are thought to be members of the subclass Chondrostei, although some authorities question this.

Bichirs are about 0.6 to 0.9 m (2 to 3 feet) long and prey on worms, small fishes, and other animals. They apparently spawn in swamps during floods. They have fleshy lobes in the pectoral fins, thick ganoid (hard, rhombic, enameled) scales, and functional lungs. The dorsal fin is a series of sharp spines, each with a flaglike end cluster of fin rays. The bichir is eaten in some areas.