Arius (fish)
Arius is a genus of catfishes of the family Ariidae. The genus Arius is distributed in brackish and fresh waters of Eastern Africa and east to Southeast Asia.
Defining the limits so that Arius can form a natural grouping has always been a problem. The genus was never properly defined, and many species previously classified in Arius are now in other genera. Recent authors have recognized this genus as nonmonophyletic, rejecting that the genus is a natural grouping. Two unnamed groups are distinguished by accessory tooth plates, which are either very elongated and bearing molar-like teeth, or are oval shaped or subtriangular and bearing acicular or conic teeth. A. jatius lacks these tooth plates, but has been included in this genus based on its adipose fin and lateral line. The recognition of Ariodes as a junior synonym of Arius is tentative and needs to be further investigated.
Arius species have three pairs of barbels, including the fleshy and cylindrical maxillary barbels and two pairs of mental barbels. The base of the adipose fin is moderately long, about half the length of the base of the anal fin.
Species
Currently, 18 living species are recognized for this genus.Arius acutirostris F. Day, 1877Arius africanus Günther, 1867 Arius arenarius Arius arius Arius brunellii Zolezzi, 1939Arius burmanicus Day, 1870Arius dispar Herre, 1926 Arius gagora Arius jatius Arius jella F. Day, 1877 Arius macronotacanthus Bleeker, 1846Arius macracanthus Günther, 1864Arius maculatus Arius malabaricus F. Day, 1877Arius manillensis Valenciennes, 1840 Arius microcephalus Bleeker, 1855 Arius subrostratus Valenciennes, 1840 Arius utik Bleeker, 1846Arius venosus Valenciennes, 1840;only listed by FishbaseArius cous Hyrtl, 1859
In addition, a fairly extensive fossil record exists, encompassing several species, but mainly represented by otoliths.