Cathorops Explained

Cathorops is a genus of catfishes in the family Ariidae found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. These species are found in the eastern and western Central and South America in brackish and freshwater habitats.^[1] This genus is a strongly supported clade of this family.^{[1] [2]} It consists of a natural group in which the monophyly is well-defined by morphological and molecular evidence and the genus probably includes several unrecognized species from both American coasts.^{[2] [3]}

Species

There are currently 22 recognized species in this genus:

• Cathorops agassizii (C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1888)
• Cathorops aguadulce (Meek, 1904) (Estuarine sea catfish)
• Cathorops arenatus (Valenciennes, 1840)
• Cathorops belizensis Marceniuk & Betancur-R., 2008 (Belizean sea catfish)
• Cathorops dasycephalus (Günther, 1864) (Big-belly sea catfish)
• Cathorops festae (Boulenger, 1898)^[4]
• Cathorops fuerthii (Steindachner, 1876) (Congo sea catfish)
• Cathorops higuchii Marceniuk & Betancur-R., 2008 (Higuchi's sea catfish)
• Cathorops hypophthalmus (Steindachner, 1876) (Gloomy sea catfish)
• Cathorops kailolae Marceniuk & Betancur-R., 2008 (Kailola's sea catfish)
• Cathorops liropus (Bristol, 1897) (Conguito sea catfish)
• Cathorops manglarensis Marceniuk, 2007
• Cathorops mapale Betancur-R. & Acero P, 2005 (Mapalé sea catfish)
• Cathorops melanopus (Günther, 1864) (Dark sea catfish)
• Cathorops multiradiatus (Günther, 1864) (Box sea catfish)
• Cathorops nuchalis (Günther, 1864) (Orinoco sea catfish)
• Cathorops raredonae Marceniuk, Betancur-R. & Acero P, 2009 (Raredon's sea catfish)
• Cathorops spixii (Agassiz, 1829) (Madamango sea catfish)
• Cathorops steindachneri (C. H. Gilbert & Starks, 1904) (Steindachner's sea catfish)
• Cathorops taylori (Hildebrand, 1925) (Taylor's sea catfish)
• Cathorops tuyra (Meek & Hildebrand, 1923) (Besudo sea catfish)
• Cathorops wayuu Betancur-R., Acero P & Marceniuk, 2012 (Wayuu sea catfish)^[5]

Notes and References

1. Marceniuk, A.P. & Menezes, N.A. (2007): Systematics of the family Ariidae (Ostariophysi, Siluriformes), with a redefinition of the genera. Zootaxa, 1416: 1–126.
2. Betancur-R., R. & Acero P., A. (2005): Description of Cathorops mapale, a new species of sea catfish (Siluriformes: Ariidae) from the Colombian Caribbean, based on morphological and mitochondrial evidence.
3. Marceniuk, A.P. (2007): Description of Cathorops manglarensis, a new species from the Colombian Pacific, with redescription of Cathorops multiradiatus (Siluriformes; Ariidae). Zootaxa, 1529: 33–48.
4. Marceniuk, A.P., Marchena, J. & Betancur-R., R. (2016): Cathorops festae (Boulenger 1898) (Siluriformes; Ariidae), a valid species from Ecuador and Peru. Zootaxa, 4170 (1): 137–148.
5. Marceniuk, A.P., Betancur-R., R., Acero P., A. & Muriel-Cunha, J. (2012): Review of the Genus Cathorops (Siluriformes: Ariidae) from the Caribbean and Atlantic South America, with Description of a New Species. Copeia, 2012 (1): 77–97.