Tribe Ariini Bleeker, 1858

MP 97, BI 1, ML 91

(Figs 1–3)

Type genus: Arius Valenciennes, 1840 .

Diagnosis (all of ambiguous optimization)

Vomerine tooth plates transversely elongate (56, 1> 0), state 2 in Brustiarius (except Brustiarius utarus) and Pararius mastersi; sesamoid bone I short and triangular (145, 1> 0), state 1 in Ariina, Betancurichthys, Bleekeriella, Cinetodus, Doiichthys, Nedystoma, Nemapteryx, and Pachyula .

Included subtribes

Incertae sedis Ariini

Ariina Bleeker, 1858

Doiichthyina Weber, 1913 . Remarks

The recognition of the Tribe Ariini corroborates the monophyletic grouping found in the molecular study of Betancur-R. (2009), separating the Old World fauna (a monophyletic group within Ariinae, the Tribe Ariini) from the fauna found in the New World (a paraphyletic group within Ariinae).Ariines exhibit a large amount of morphological convergence in taxa occupying similar habitats (e. g., forms restricted to freshwater in general have skulls with more conspicuous openings vs.predominantly marine forms with smaller or no cranial openings).

Ariini incertae sedis

(Figs 1–3, 20)

Included genera

Carlarius Marceniuk & Menezes, 2007

Netuma Bleeker, 1858

Plicofollis Kailola, 2004 .

Remarks

The three genera listed here are each monophyletic and all fall within the Ariini, but their positions within that clade differ markedly among the MP, BI, and ML analyses. As such, they are treated here as members of the Ariini, but not included within either of the named subtribes.