A new classification of the family Ariidae (Osteichthyes: Ostariophysi: Siluriformes) based on combined analyses of morphological and molecular data Author Marceniuk, Alexandre Pires Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, conjunto Presidente Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB 58050 - 000, Brazil & Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande, PB 58429 - 500, Brazil & Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Botucatu, SP 18618 - 970, Brazil a_marceniuk@hotmail.com Author Oliveira, Claudio Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Botucatu, SP 18618 - 970, Brazil Author Ferraris Jr, Carl J. 545 NE Floral Pl., Portland, OR 97232, USA text Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 2024 2023-08-21 200 2 426 476 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad078 journal article 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad078 0024-4082 11240120 5D6C7EBF-E568-4100-9364-2DD357003878 Cochlefelis Whitley, 1941 MP 100, BI 1, ML 100 ( Figs 1–3 , 38C , 43 ) Type species: Arius spatula Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886 . Diagnosis Posterior branch of lateral ethmoid depressed (13, 0> 1); vomer lateral processes very narrow (53, 0> 1); parasphenoid very wide in ventral view (66, 0> 1); exoccipital posterior process not supporting Müllerian ramus (94, 1> 0); maxilla lateral and mesial margins slender proximally, narrow and pointed distally (102, 2> 3); articulation of autopalatine with lateral ethmoid in middle of bone (111, 2> 1); premaxilla wide and short, its length more than four times in width (120, 1> 0); dorsal crest on premaxilla beginning between lateral one-third or one-half of anterior margin (124, 0> 1); anteroventral portion of opercle subtriangular (127, 1> 4); one-half or less of interopercle posterior part contacting ventral margin of opercle (131, 1> 0); first external branchiostegal ray narrow proximally and broad distally (147, 1> 0); posterior ceratohyal long (153, 0> 1); third basibranchial long and narrow (169, 1> 2); mesial one-fourth of fourth epibranchial robust, almost as wide as long (186, 1> 0); 39 or more caudal vertebrae (216, 1> 0). Ambiguous optimization: Posterior cranial fontanel formed exclusively frontals (25, 0> 1); lateral margin of third pharyngobranchial weakly developed and rounded (193, 1> 0); 15 or more ribs (213, 0> 1). Included species Cochlefelis danielsi Regan, 1908 Cochlefelis insidiator Kailola, 2000 * sedis mutabilis Cochlefelis spatula Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886 . Habitat and distribution: Fresh and brackish water, southern New Guinea ( Fig. 38 ). Remarks The monophyly and species composition of Cochlefelis , sensu Kailola 2004 , Betancur-R. 2009, and Marceniuk et al. 2012 , are supported by the total-evidence analysis.