Subtribe Ariina Bleeker, 1858

(Figs 1–3, 24)

Diagnosis (all of ambiguous optimization)

Posterior cranial fontanel formed by frontals and parieto-supraoccipital (25, 1> 0), state 1 in Arius leptonotacanthus, Arius nenga, Osteogeneiosus, and Pseudosciades; anterior margin of otolith straight or slightly irregular (71, 0> 1), state 0 in Hemiarius stormii; otolith posterior margin rounded (74, 1> 0), state 0 in Hemiarius stormii; orientation of exoccipital bony crest perpendicular to vertebral column and directed posteriorly (92, 0> 1), state 0 in Hexanematichthys; sesamoid bone I very long and subtriangular (145, 0> 1), state 2 in Osteogeneiosus; 14 or fewer ribs (213, 1> 0), state 1 in Hexanematichthys; second dorsal cleithral process dorsally directed and parallel to first dorsal process (226, 0> 1), state 0 in Arius aff. nenga, Batrachocephalus, and Hexanematichthys .

Included genera

Arius Valenciennes, 1840

Batrachocephalus Bleeker, 1846

Betancurichthys gen. nov.

Cephalocassis Bleeker, 1852

Cryptarius Kailola, 2004

Jayaramichthys gen. nov.

Kyataphisa gen. nov.

Hemiarius Bleeker, 1862

Hemipimelodus Bleeker, 1857

Hexanematichthys Bleeker, 1858

Ketengus Bleeker, 1846

Osteogeneiosus Bleeker, 1846

Pseudosciades gen. nov.

Remarks

The recognition of the subtribe Ariina corroborates the results of a previous molecular study (Betancur-R. 2009), which uncovered a distinct lineage of the Ariinae in Asia vs. that in Papua New Guinea and Australia ( Doiichthyina).