Heteropneustes in Clariidae or Heteropneustidae?

[Mike_Noren]

Just curious as to why Planetcatfish keeps Heteropneustes in Clariidae instead of its own family Heteropneustidae like Fishbase & Catalog of Fishes do?

[Jools]

I wasn't aware it had been moved back out.

Jools

[sidguppy]

Jools, it hasn't

Heteropneustes fossilis

that was why one of my "what am I" fishes went all bust; I choose Heteropneustes as a mystery fish and then the confusion started ;)

surprising though, since heteropneustes has at least 2 characteristics that no Clariid has:
-a dorsal spine
-a completely different airbreathing apparatus.

the airbreathing organ in Clariids is branched and folded, like the one in an Anabantoid fish, but the airbreathing organ of Heteropneustes is a few long sacs, like the airbreathing organ of a Bichir.

to me, the fact that Clarias and Heteropneustes are in 1 family is much more convergent evolution than a true close relationship.

maybe the bone structure has a lot of similarities?

still ... a DNA mapping of both Claridds and Heteropneustes might show some interesting results, I think.

edit: I don't thin k this is a site bug; this is a nice interesting discussion about taxonomics....

might cut n paste the whole thing to the taxonomy section?

[Silurus]

Heteropneustes is the sister group of Clarias (+Heterobranchus) from the results of recent morphological (Diogo) and molecular phylogenies (Sullivan et al.). No reason to exclude them from the Clariidae otherwise.

[Mike_Noren]

surprising though, since heteropneustes has at least 2 characteristics that no Clariid has:
-a dorsal spine
-a completely different airbreathing apparatus.

And a short dorsal fin instead of the long dorsal fin of other clariids.

Heteropneustes is the sister group of Clarias (+Heterobranchus) from the results of recent morphological (Diogo) and molecular phylogenies (Sullivan et al.)

Do these studies recommend placing Heteropneustes in Heteropneustidae or Clariidae?
I tried to see what Catalog of Fishes based their decision on, but I'm probably reading it wrong because to me it seems like it's based on Ferraris (2007), but he includes Heteropneustes in Clariidae.

[Silurus]

Diogo places Heteropneustes in Clariidae, Sullivan et al. in Heteropneustidae.

It's most likely that Heteropneustes is the sister group of all other Clariidae, in which case it could be in its own family, or as part of the Clariidae (depending on whether you're a lumper or a splitter).

However, both studies have not sampled Clariidae extensively, so what I just said above awaits verification.

I would think the most parsimonious solution would be to leave Heteropneustes in the Clariidae.

[Jools]

I'll keep it where it is but also keep an eye out for further usage indicating a change.

Cheers,

Jools