Taxonomic Review of the Sea Catfish Family Ariidae in Taiwan

Taxonomic Review of the Sea Catfish Family Ariidae in Taiwan

The family Ariidae comprises bottom-dwelling fishes inhabiting tropical and subtropical coasts in marine and brackish waters. Historically, ten nominal species have been recorded in Taiwanese waters. However, due to close morphological similarities among species and a lack of detailed investigation, confusion has persisted regarding the actual number of species present in Taiwan. In this study, a total of 337 specimens were newly collected, and 187 museum specimens were thoroughly examined. Based on morphological and osteological characteristics—including the patterns of tooth patches on the upper jaw, the lateral fenestra and lateral ethmoid, the supraoccipital bone, and the dorsomedial groove—all specimens were classified into three genera, each represented by a single species. In addition, 249 COI sequences were generated and combined with 308 public sequences for species delimitation. The results confirm the presence of three ariid species in Taiwan: Arius maculatus, Netuma bilineata, and Plicofollis nella.