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 Betancurichthys gen. nov. ( Figs 1–3 , 27 ) ZooBank registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: CF91C445- 9AA0-4852-8291-6F9FD57C9CD2 . Type species: Arius madagascariensis Vaillant, 1894 . Diagnosis Bony bridge formed by lateral ethmoid and frontal cylindrical and thin (16, 0> 1); frontal mesial laminar projection absent (23, 1> 0); posterior cranial fontanel formed by frontals and parieto-supraoccipital (25, 1> 0); otolith posterior margin rounded (74, 1> 0); dorsal crest of premaxilla beginning between lateral one-third or one-half of anterior margin (124, 0> 1); third basibranchial chalice shaped (168, 0> 1); dorsal-fin spine prolonged into filament (221, 0> 1). Family Ariidae classification: total-evidence hypothesis • 455 Figure 26. Batrachocephalus mino , FMNH 68052 (senior synonym of Batrachocephalus ageneiosus ), Indo-West Pacific, type species of the genus. Figure 27. Betancurichthys madagascariensis , MNHN 1894 -0002, western Madagascar, type species of the genus. Ambiguous optimization: Sesamoid bone I very long and subtriangular (145, 0> 1). Etymology Named after Colombian ichthyologist Ricardo Betancur-R. for his dedication to the knowledge of the taxonomy, evolution, and biogeography of marine catfishes. Gender: masculine. Included species Betancurichthys festinus Ng & Sparks, 2003 * sedis mutabilis Betancurichthys madagascariensis Vaillant, 1894 Betancurichthys uncinatus Ng & Sparks, 2003 * sedis mutabilis . Habitat and distribution: Fresh and brackish waters, western Madagascar ( Fig. 24 ). Remarks The genus Betancurichthys was established to accommodate species endemic to Madagascar , in the western Indian Ocean, corroborating molecular results presented by Betancur-R. (2009). Its inclusion in the Ariina is supported by the BI and ML analyses. The inclusion of Betancurichthys festinus and Betancurichthys uncinatus in the genus is provisional, based on the distribution and life habits of the species restricted to freshwater in Madagascar .