The various species concepts current in systematic zoology have been (and still are) applied to the bichirs, and this has inevitably resulted in confusion regarding the taxonomic status of the individual forms - a problem that persists to the present day. And the individual advocates of the various species concepts are often implacably opposed. Even though the current author is not in agreement with some of the combinations of names and systematic placements at present generally accepted, these are followed here in the interest of stability. The classification used here is based on the following systematic works: POLL 1941, GOSSE 1988, and HANNSONS et al. 1995
In the course of these researches it transpired that 15 of the 18 scientifically described forms (17 Polypterus, 1 Erpetoichthys) represent valid species (14 Polypterus, 1 Erpetoichthys). Four additional forms from the genus Polypterus, distinguishable on the basis of coloration and morphology, require further study in order to establish their taxonomic status, and an additional species is currently being described by Ralf BRITZ. Subspecies, such as those that have been described for P. bichir, P. endlicheri, P. senegalus and P. palmas, are here regarded either as synonyms or as distinct species.