530 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
‘ This- division is the nearest ally to the sturgeons (Chondrostei) among Physostomous fishes, and 
I imagine that future discoveries will prove that it has been derived from that division by descent. 
In the same way the Isospondylous fishes are nearest the Halecomorphi, and have probably descended 
from some Crossopterygian, near the Haplistia, through that order. The affinity of the catfishes to 
the sturgeons is seen in the absence of symplectic, the rudimentary maxillary bone, and, as observed 
by Parker, in the interclavicles. There is a superficial resemblance in the dermal bones.” (Cope.) 
This group comprises the Siliiridse and their relatives, now divided into several families by Dr. 
Gill. 
Two families are represented among the species introduced in Hawaiian waters: 
a. Dorsal and anal fins elongate; each of many rays. Clariiikr, p. 530 
aa. Dorsal and anal tins much shorter, the former usually of fewer than 10 rays. SUuridse, p. 531 
Family CLARIII).£. 
Body oblong or elongate, and naked; head depressed, furnished with long barbels; mouth termi¬ 
nal, teeth viliiiorm or granular; body naked; opercle present; dorsal and anal nearly coextensive 
with the caudal portion of the vertebral column; gill-membranes not confluent with the skin of the 
isthmus, remaining separate to the chin; dorsal fin uniformly composed of feeble rays, or its posterior 
portion modified into an adipose fin; intestine short, arranged in longitudinal folds. Confined to 
tropical Africa, Asia, and the East Indies. 
Genus CLARIAS (Gronow l Seopoli. 
Body oblong, compressed and elongate; head depressed, broad; eye small, with a free, orbital 
margin; cleft of mouth transverse, anterior, of moderate width; jaws each with a band of villiform 
teeth, and a band of villiform or granular teeth across the vomer; one pair of nasal, one of maxillary 
and 2 pairs of mandibulary barbels; upper and lateral parts of head osseous, or covered with only a 
very thin skin; dendritic, accessory branchial organ attached to convex side of second and fourth 
branchial arches, and received in a cavity behind the gill-cavity proper; dorsal long, extending from 
neck to caudal; anal long; pectoral with a pungent spine; ventrals 6-rayed; adipose fin none. Tropical 
Africa, Asia, and the East Indies. 
Clarias Grnnow. Zoopbyl., 100,1763 (nonbinomial). 
Chbirias Seopoli, In trod. Study Nat. Hist., 1777. 
Macropteronotus Lacdpede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., V, 84,1803 ( charmnth ). 
Clarias fuscus (Lacepede). 
I lead (measuring from tipi of snout to opercle) 5.2; depth 5; D. 64; A. 46; P. i, 9; V. 6; space between 
origin of dorsal and occiput 6.3 in the space between the latter and tip of the snout; width of head 1.3 
in its length (to end of occiput); interorbital space a little over 2, about 2.17 in head (to end of occi¬ 
put); width of head 1.3; snout 4.5; pectoral 2.25. 
Body oblong, rather short and compressed; head rather small, broad and depressed; snout very 
broad, rounded and depressed; eye very small and anterior; mouth broad, nearly terminal, edge of 
snout projecting very slightly beyond mandible; lips and lower surface of maxillary barbels strongly 
papillose, though the former are rather thin; barbels all well developed, the longest, which are the 
maxillaries, not reaching base of ventrals; all the others at least as long as head; teeth in villiform 
bands in jaws and on vomer; anterior nostrils in small tubes near tip of snout, the posterior pair 
directly behind base of nasal barbels, with narrow short flaps; interorbital space and top of head 
convex; gill-openings broad; fontanelle rather large, the anterior elongate and shaped like a spear¬ 
head, the point reaching between the eyes; top of head smooth; pores along lateral line some little 
distance apart, forming a series slightly decurved, a short distance at first to middle of side and then 
straight to base of caudal; origin of dorsal about midway between bases of pectoral and ventral, of 
more or less uniform-height and not continuous with caudal; origin of anal a trifle nearer base of 
caudal than tip of snout; caudal 1.75 in head to end of occiput! pectoral reaching origin of dorsal or a 
trifle beyond, and the spine, which has its outer edge with a number of small dentieulations, two- 
thirds the length of the fin; ventrals small, a short distance in front of anal, and reaching quite a little 
distance beyond. 
