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.