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.