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 Arius Valenciennes, 1840 ( Figs 1–2 , 24A – 25 ) Type species: Pimelodus arius Hamilton, 1822 . Diagnosis Bony bridge formed by lateral ethmoid and frontal cylindrical and thin (16, 0> 1); frontal mesial laminar projection absent (23, 1> 0); accessory tooth plates ventral to orbitosphenoid and metapterygoid (62, 0> 1); orbitosphenoid and pterosphenoid lateral expansions slight projections with sinuous lateral face ( 65, 0> 2) ; autopalatine very compressed at articulation with lateral ethmoid (108, 0> 1); dorsal crest of premaxilla beginning between lateral one-third or one-half of anterior margin (124, 0> 1); lateral margin of third pharyngobranchial well developed and acute (193, 0> 1). Ambiguous optimization: Müllerian ramus bone blade evident only in basal third (206, 2> 1). Included species Arius acutirostris Day, 1877 * sedis mutabilis Arius africanus Günther, 1867 * sedis mutabilis Arius arenarius Müller & Troschel, 1849 * sedis mutabilis Arius arius Hamilton, 1822 Arius brunellii Zollezi, 1939 * sedis mutabilis Arius burmanicus Day, 1870 * sedis mutabilis Arius dispar Herre, 1926 Figure 24. Representative skulls, in dorsal view, and distribution of the subtribe Ariina . A, Arius maculatus , AUM 44875. B, Cephalocassis melanochir , CAS 49426. C, Cryptarius truncatus , AUM 50243. D, Hexanematichthys sagor , AUM 50242. E, Kyataphisa nenga , AUM 46280. F, Osteogeneiosus militaris , AUM 44880. G, Pseudosciades sona , AUM 44861. * marine, ** brackish water, *** freshwater. 454 • Marceniuk et al. Figure 25. Arius arius , Indo-West Pacific, photograph by Ricardo Betancur-R., type species of the genus. Arius gagora Hamilton, 1822 Arius jatius Hamilton, 1822 * sedis mutabilis Arius jella Day, 1877 * sedis mutabilis Arius leptonotacanthus Bleeker, 1849 sedis mutabilis Arius macronotacanthus Bleeker, 1846 * sedis mutabilis Arius maculatus Thunberg, 1792 Arius malabaricus Day, 1877 * sedis mutabilis Arius manillensis Valenciennes, 1840 Arius microcephalus Bleeker, 1855 * sedis mutabilis Arius nenga Hamilton, 1822 sedis mutabilis Arius aff. nenga sedis mutabilis Arius oetik Bleeker, 1846 Arius subrostratus Valenciennes, 1840 * sedis mutabilis Arius venosus Valenciennes, 1840 * sedis mutabilis . Habitat and distribution: Fresh and brackish waters, eastern Africa and South to Southeast Asia ( Fig. 24 ). Remarks The genus Arius undoubtedly has the most complex taxonomy of the Ariidae , serving to accommodate taxa without clear affinities elsewhere ( Marceniuk and Menezes2007 ). Recent morphological studies have recognized the monophyly of Arius with the inclusion of Betancurichthys madagascariensis ( Marceniuk and Menezes 2007 , Marceniuk et al. 2012 ), an arrangement not supported by Betancur-R. (2009), a molecular study that does not recognize the monophyly of Arius . The MP and ML analysis supports the monophyly of Arius without Betancurichthys madagascariensis .