Ariid swimbladders

[Silurus]

Marceniuk, AP & JLO Birindelli, 2010. Morphology of the gas bladder in sea catfishes (Siluriformes: Ariidae). Zootaxa 2579: 59–68.

Abstract

The morphology of the gas bladder and associated structures in sea catfishes (Siluriformes: Ariidae) is studied. The most simple gas bladder, exclusive to Galeichthys Valenciennes, is apple-shaped with weakly developed internal trabeculae, has smooth walls externally and a short Müllerian window associated with a broad, short Müllerian ramus that is firmly attached to Baudelot’s ligament and supracleithrum. Most genera of Ariidae have a cordiform bladder with well-developed trabeculae, smooth walls externally, an elongate Müllerian window and an elongate Müllerian ramus with an acute tip that is free from the Baudelot’s ligament and supracleithrum. Sciades proops (Valenciennes) and S. parkeri (Traill) have a similar gas bladder but with a well-developed secondary chamber. Other genera of Ariidae also have a cordiform bladder with well-developed trabeculae and elongate Müllerian window, but with lateral diverticula present as shallow rounded bulges or blister-like swellings along the peripheral margins of the bladder. The degree of development of lateral diverticula varies among and within species, with Osteogeneiosus Bleeker having the most highly-developed diverticula. Bagre pinnimaculatus (Steindachner) and Bagre bagre (Linnaeus) have unusual depressed gas bladders with complex network of internal trabeculae. The implications of gas bladder morphology for the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the family are discussed.

[Silurus]

Not surprisingly, this paper uses Sciades seemanni.

[MatsP]

Not surprisingly, this paper uses Sciades seemanni.

Given the main author, yes, I expect so. I'm still thinking that Ariopsis is what we will go with in the Cat-eLog. Eventually, I'm sure one of the two contenders will give in... But it may take some time...


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Mats