Astrodoradinae, Horácio Higuchi, José L. O. Birindelli, Leandro M. Sousa & Heraldo A. Britski, 2007

Horácio Higuchi, José L. O. Birindelli, Leandro M. Sousa & Heraldo A. Britski, 2007, Merodoras nheco, new genus and species from Rio Paraguay basin, Brazil (Siluriformes, Doradidae), and nomination of the new subfamily Astrodoradinae., Zootaxa 1446, pp. 31-42 : 33

Astrodoradinae , new subfamily

Type genus.- Astrodoras Bleeker, 1862 : 5.

Genera included.- Amblydoras Bleeker, 1862 ; Anadoras Eigenmann, 1925 ; Astrodoras Bleeker, 1862 ; Merodoras new genus; Hypodoras Eigenmann, 1925 ; Physopyxis Cope, 1871 ; and Scorpiodoras Eigenmann, 1925 .

Diagnosis.- The genera and species of the subfamily Astrodoradinae can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: spinous postcleithral process (except in Anadoras ); lacrimal serated (except in Anadoras ), forming anterior corner of orbit (except in Physopyxis ; also present in Pterodoras and Lithodoras ); number of pleural ribs reduced, four to seven (also shared with Acanthodoras , Agamyxis , Trachydoras , Doras fimbriatus , D. punctatus and Oxydoras eigenmanni ). Other diagnostic, but more widespread, features include: simple barbels, nuchal foramina absent, and gas bladder with abbreviated cordiform shape.