Anchariidae

Anchariidae is a family of catfishes order. This small family contains two genera, Ancharius and Gogo.^[1] Anchariids are a strictly freshwater group endemic to Madagascar.^[2] Anchariids are characterized by the presence of fringed barbels and a reduced anterior nuchal plate.^[2]

Traditionally, Ancharius is classified in Ariidae. The general consensus in recent years is that anchariids are members of Ariidae and do not warrant family rank.^[2] However, this family was recently revised in 2005, which reinstated the separate family for Ancharius and described the genus Gogo.^[2]

A molecular analysis grouped Anchariidae with Ariidae under the superfamily Arioidea.^[3]

[edit] References

1. ^ Ferraris, Carl J., Jr. (2007). "Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types" (PDF). Zootaxa 1418: 1–628. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Ng, Heok Hee; Sparks, John S. (2005). "Revision of the endemic Malagasy catfish family Anchariidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes), with descriptions of a new genus and three new species" (PDF). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters 16 (4): 303-323. 
3. ^ Sullivan, JP; Lundberg JG; Hardman M (2006). "A phylogenetic analysis of the major groups of catfishes (Teleostei: Siluriformes) using rag1 and rag2 nuclear gene sequences". Mol Phylogenet Evol. 41 (3): 636-62. 

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