Cinetodus

Alexandre P. Marceniuk & Naércio A. Menezes, 2007, Systematics of the family Ariidae (Ostariophysi, Siluriformes), with a redefinition of the genera., Zootaxa 1416, pp. 1-126 : 50-51

Cinetodus Ogilby, 1898

(fig. 39)

Cinetodus Ogilby, 1898: 32. Type species: Arius froggatti Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886. Type by original designation and also monotypy. Gender: masculine.

Septobranchus Hardenberg, 1941: 223. Type species: Septobranchus johannae Hardenberg, 1941. Type by monotypy. Gender: masculine.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from the remaining ariid genera by the following exclusive (1 and 2) and shared (3 to 7) characters: (1) pharyngeal tooth plates round; (2) dorsal processes of pharyngeal tooth plates very short; (3) orbitosphenoid without lateral projection [shared with Arius , Brustiarius , Carlarius , Genidens , Netuma , Notarius planiceps , Plicofollis (with exception of P. platystomus ), Potamosilurus (with exception of P. latirostris ) and Sciades (with exception of S. couma , S. emphysetus , S. passany , S. proops , S. seemanni and S. sagor )]; (4) wing-like process of parasphenoid short and wide, leaf-like [shared with Arius caelatus , A. madagascariensis , Brustiarius , Carlarius , Cathorops dasycephalus , Galeichthys , Genidens , Neoarius , Netuma , Notarius planiceps , Plicofollis platystomus , Potamosilurus velutinus and Sciades (with exception of S. emphysetus , S. passany and S. proops )]; (5) posterior process of epioccipital contacting a small area of diagonal crest of neural spine of fourth vertebra (shared with Amphiarius , Aspistor , Bagre , Cephalocassis melanochir , Cryptarius , Hemiarius , Notarius , Potamarius izabalensis and Sciades platypogon ); (6) premaxillary narrower, almost as long as wide (shared with Cathorops , Cephalocassis and Potamarius ); (7) anterior portion of opercle trapezoid shaped, long and narrow (shared with Bagre , Galeichthys and Nedystoma );

Supplementary morphological characters. Cephalic shield granulated visible under the skin; lateral ethmoid and frontal limiting a moderately developed fenestra evident under the skin; medial groove of neurocranium limited by frontal bones and/or on supraoccipital absent; posterior cranial fontanel moderately developed, long and narrow; fenestra limited by supraoccipital, pterotic and sphenotic absent; fossa limited by pterotic, supracleithrum and extrascapular present, relatively large; epioccipital invading dorsal portion of cephalic shield; occipital process progressively narrower toward its posterior part; anterior and median nuchal plates fused and indistinct, forming a structure of semi-lunar aspect; vomerine tooth plates absent; accessory tooth plates present bearing conical teeth; maxillary barbel fleshy and cylindrical; two pairs of mental barbels; base of adipose fin very long, as long as anal-fin base; lateral line not bifurcated at caudal region, reaching base of caudal-fin upper lobe; cleithrum wide with second dorsal process located at its upper portion; posterior cleithral process very long and distinct from second dorsal process of cleithrum.

Remarks. Cinetodus and Septobranchus have the same type-species Arius froggatti Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886, and must be recognized as objective synonyms. C. carinatus (Weber, 1913) was not examined and its inclusion in the genus was based on diagnostic features described in the literature and the results obtained by Kailola (1990a, 2004).

Distribution and habitat. Southern New Guinea and northern Australia, brackish and freshwaters.