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bichir

American  
[bich-er] / ˈbɪtʃ ər /

noun

  1. any of several primitive freshwater African fishes of the genus Polypterus having functional lungs as well as gills.


Etymology

Origin of bichir

Probably earlier than 1965–70; < French < dialectal Arabic abu shīr

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

The researchers also sequenced the bichir, an elongated, air-breathing, ray-finned fish that lives in the shallows of tropical African rivers, as well as the American paddlefish, the bowfin, and the alligator gar.

From Science Magazine Feb. 10, 2021

Analyzing the spiracles of the living bichir Polypterus, we showed that they are instrumental in breathing air.

From Scientific American Jun. 17, 2020

An order of ganoid fishes of which the bichir of Africa is a living example.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) by Noah Webster

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