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 Sciades Müller & Troschel, 1849 MP 100, BI 1, ML 100 ( Figs 1–3 , 16C , 19 ) Type species: Bagrus (Sciades) emphysetus Müller & Troschel, 1849 . Diagnosis Lateral horn of lateral ethmoid acute (11, 1> 0), reversed in Sciades couma and Sciades herzbergii ; fenestra delimited by lateral ethmoid and frontal very small or indistinct (17, 1> 0); orbitosphenoid and pterosphenoid lateral expansions very narrow and long (65, 0> 1), reversed in Sciades couma and Sciades herzbergii ; parasphenoid very wide in ventral view (66, 0> 1); otic capsule of moderate size, limited by prootic, pterotic, and exoccipital ( 70, 2> 1) , reversed in Sciades couma and Sciades herzbergii ; space between transcapular process and otic capsule very large (89, 1> 0), reversed in Sciades couma and Sciades herzbergii ; one-half or less of interopercle posterior part contacting ventral margin of opercle (131, 1> 0), reversed in Sciades couma and Sciades herzbergii ; Müllerian ramus distal third straight (208, 1> 0). Ambiguous optimization: Mesethmoid median portion moderately wide (2, 1> 2); autopalatine posterior portion conspicuously compressed (106, 0> 1); articulation of autopalatine with lateral ethmoid mesoposteriorly oriented (110, 0> 1); lateral margin of premaxilla with a very conspicuous concavity ( 123, 1> 2) ; sesamoid bone I very long and subrectangular (145, 2> 3) ; sesamoid bone II irregularly elongate ( 146, 0> 1) ; first external branchiostegal ray proximally narrow and distally broad (147, 1> 0); reversed in Sciades couma and Sciades herzbergii ; complex formed by anterior and median nuchal plates shield-like (218, 0> 1); reversed in Sciades couma , Sciades herzbergii , and Sciades passany ; nuchal plate overlaying parieto-supraoccipital (220, 1> 2); groove connecting posterior nostrils present ( 233, 0> 1) ; reversed in Sciades parkeri and Sciades proops . Included species Sciades couma (Valenciennes, 1840) Sciades dowii (Gill, 1863) Sciades herzbergii (Bloch, 1794) Sciades passany (Valenciennes, 1840) Sciades parkeri (Traill, 1832) Sciades proops (Valenciennes, 1840) . Habitat and distribution: Brackish and marine waters, eastern South America, from Colombia to east coast of Brazil and western South and Central America from Panama to Ecuador ( Fig. 16 ). Remarks See Tribe Sciadeini Remarks.