Synodontis woleuensis, a new species of mochokid catfish, is described from the Woleu/Mbini/Uoro and Ntem basins of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. This relatively small species (<70 mm SL) is among the few Synodontis species with well-developed serrations along the anterior margin of the dorsal spine. It can further be distinguished from all congeners by a distinctive pigmentation pattern consisting of a dark background with numerous, small and irregular light spots, a pair of light spots anterior and posterior to the adipose fin, and a narrow, depigmented, curved band along the anterior margin of the caudal fin.

New taxon: Synodontis woleuensis Friel and Sullivan

Atopodontus adriaensi, a new genus and species of suckermouthed mochokid catfish, is described from the Ogooué and Nyanga basins of Gabon. It superficially resembles Atopochilus savorgnani, and is known to co-occur with this species at several localities. This new taxon can be distinguished from all other chiloglanidin species by a combination of features including robust mandibular teeth arranged in transverse rows that are approximately 66% of the width of the paired premaxillary tooth patches, and the presence of an anteriorly directed cavity located dorsal to the lower lip and ventral to the oral cavity.

New taxa: Atopodontus Friel and Vigliotta, Atopodontus adriaensi Friel and Vigliotta

Specimens previously identified as Chrysichthys auratus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809) from Lake Turkana are recognized as distinct from this and all other species of Chrysichthys. Chrysichthys turkana new species, is described and distinguished from C. auratus on the basis of several proportional metrics, the most notable of which is a relatively large eye. The implied endemism of C. turkana and of other fishes suggest that in-situ diversification has taken place within Lake Turkana since its Miocene-Pliocene origin and in spite of its intermittent connection with the Nile basin during the Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene.

New taxon: Chrysichthys turkana Hardman

We describe a new species of amblycipitid catfish, Liobagrus aequilabris, from the Xiangjiang, a tributary of the Changjiang (=Yangtze River), in Guangxi province of southern China. Liobagrus aequilabris differs from its congeners by a novel combination of characters that includes: lack of large, retrorse serrations on the posterior edge of the pectoral-fin spine, having upper and lower jaws of equal length, relatively long dorsal (7.5–10.2% SL) and pectoral-fin (9.1–12.1% SL) spines, a relatively long caudal fin (20.1–26.9% SL), and relatively few post-Weberian vertebrae (35–37). This species is only known from the Xiangjiang, but may also be present in the Lijiang, a tributary of the Zhujiang (=Pearl River), due to the presence of the Lingqu canal, which connects the Xiangjiang and Lijiang.

New taxon: Liobagrus aequilabris Wright and Ng

The catfish, Parauchenoglanis ngamensis (Auchenoglanididae), is distributed in the Kasai and upper Zambezi-Okavango basins in southern Africa. The Kasai Basin population can be distinguished from the upper Zambezi-Okavango basins population by a less robust humeral process of the cleithrum, a longer external mandibular barbel, and less pigmentation on the body and fins. A population at Lake Calundo, appears to represent a portion of a cline within the species or a hybrid zone between two forms in the Kasai and upper Zambezi-Okavango basins.

Amblycipitidae Day, 1873 is an Asian family of catfishes (Siluriformes) usually considered to contain 28 species placed in three genera: Amblyceps (14 spp.), Liobagrus (12 spp.) and Xiurenbagrus (2 spp.). Morphology-based systematics has supported the monophyly of this family, with some authors placing Amblycipitidae within a larger group including Akysidae, Sisoridae and Aspredinidae, termed the Sisoroidea. Here we investigate the phylogenetic relationships among four species of Amblyceps, six species of Liobagrus and the two species of Xiurenbagrus with respect to other sisoroid taxa as well as other catfish groups using 6100 aligned base pairs of DNA sequence data from the rag1 and rag 2 genes of the nuclear genome and from three regions (cyt b, CO1, ND4 plus tRNA-His and tRNA-Ser) of the mitochondrial genome. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the data indicate strong support for a diphyletic Amblycipitidae in which the genus Amblyceps is the sister group to the Sisoridae and a clade formed by genera Liobagrus and Xiurenbagrus is the sister group to Akysidae. These taxa together form a well supported monophyletic group that assembles all Asian sisoroid taxa, but excludes the South American Aspredinidae. Results for aspredinids are consistent with previous molecular studies that indicate these catfishes are not sisoroids, but the sister group to the South American doradoid catfishes (Auchenipteridae Doradidae). The redefined sisoroid clade plus Bagridae, Horabagridae and (Ailia Laides) make up a larger monophyletic group informally termed “Big Asia.” Likelihood-based SH tests and Bayes Factor comparisons of the rag and the mitochondrial data partitions considered separately and combined reject both the hypothesis of amblycipitid monophyly and the hypothesis of aspredinid inclusion within Sisoroidea. This result for amblycipitids conflicts with a number of well documented morphological synapomorphies that we briefly review. Possible nomenclatural changes for amblycipitid taxa are noted.

Nanobagrus torquatus, a new species of bagrid catfish, is described from the Musi drainage in southern Sumatra. Nanobagrus torquatus is distinguished from all congeners by a body color pattern consisting of a single distinct yellow/cream band around the body just behind the head (vs. three or more bands on body or body lacking distinct bands). It most closely resembles N. fuscus, which has three light bands around the body.

New taxon: Nanobagrus torquatus Thomson, López and Hadiaty

A hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships is presented for the African catfish family Mochokidae based on a maximum parsimony analysis of 93 morphological characters in 41 ingroup and 19 outgroup taxa. The analysis reveals that the Mochokidae are a monophyletic group and that Mochokus Joannis (1835), Mochokiella Howes (1980), Acanthocleithron Nichols and Griscom (1917) and Microsynodontis Boulenger (1903) are monophyletic and valid as distinct genera within the family. Synodontis Cuvier (1816) must include Hemisynodontis membranacea and Brachysynodontis batensoda to be monophyletic, which are reassigned to Synodontis herein. Chiloglanis Peters (1868) is rendered paraphyletic by nested placement of Atopochilus Sauvage (1879), Euchilichthys Boulenger (1900) and Atopodontus Friel and Vigliotta (2008), a new genus described separately in this volume. Euchilichthys is rendered paraphyletic by nested placement of Atopochilus savorgnani. The monophyly of Atopochilus could not be tested because only one species was available for study. Atopodontus is monophyletic and valid as a distinct genus. Well-supported suprageneric clades within the family include a new tribe, the Atopochilini, with Atopodontus as the sister group to a clade composed of Atopochilus and Euchilichthys. A clade composed of all suckermouthed species, the redefined subfamily Chiloglanidinae, includes tribe Atopochilini nested within Chiloglanis. Taxonomic issues related to paraphyly of Chiloglanis and Euchilichthys require further research on a greater number of taxa before being addressed. Subfamily Chiloglanidinae forms a polytomy with Synodontis and Microsynodontis. Acanthocleithron, followed by Mochokiella and then Mochokus are recovered as consecutive sister groups to that polytomy. A list of synapomorphies is provided for each major clade recovered, but most clades are left unnamed at this point. A number of the well-supported clades are characterized by changes in the oral jaws and mouth, apparently a key theme in mochokid evolution. Finally, the analysis suggests that the sister group of the Mochokidae is a clade composed of the South American Doradidae plus Auchenipteridae, though support for the relationship is low. Synapomorphies supporting the recovered sister group relationship and possible synapomorphies supporting alternative sister group relationships to the Malapteruridae and Amphiliidae are provided.

New taxon: Atopochilini Vigliotta

Glyptothorax plectilis sp. nov. is described from the Alas River drainage in northern Sumatra. It can be distinguished from congeners in Sundaland in having a combination of: length of adipose-fin base 12.9–16.7% SL, adipose maximum height 5.3–8.1% SL, caudal peduncle depth 8.4–10.6% SL, body depth at anus 15.3–18.6% SL, head length 25.3– 28.5% SL, snout length 47.9–53.8% HL, premaxillary teeth visible when mouth is closed, anterior and lateral edges of thoracic adhesive apparatus gently convex, diverging pattern of striae running along edges of central depression in thoracic adhesive apparatus, narrow v-shaped depression at posteromedial part of adhesive apparatus open posteriorly, and an almost uniformlycolored body. The taxonomic status of Sundaland Glyptothorax is also briefly discussed.

New taxon: Glyptothorax plectilis Ng and Hadiaty

We describe a new species of pimelodid catfish belonging to the genus Pimelodus from the Cebollatí, Tacuarí and Yaguarón rivers emptying into the Laguna Merín, Uruguay. Pimelodus pintado n. sp. is distinguished from congeners by the combination of its densely spotted pigmentation pattern with many small dots irregularly placed over flanks, head and all fins, and, when fresh, metallic golden background color, plus thick striated lips with prominent rictal folds, long snout, prominent upper jaw, anterior naris far from snout margin, narrow premaxillary tooth bands with rounded posterolateral corners, toothless prevomer and 22–26 gill rakers on first branchial arch. Pimelodus pintado is compared to other spotted species of Pimelodus including P. maculatus, P. heraldoi, P. absconditus, P. microstoma, P. mysteriosus, P. paranaensis, P. platicirris, P. ortmanni, P. britskii, P. fur, P. grosskopfii, P. navarroi, P. coprophagus and P. punctatus.

New taxon: Pimelodus pintado Azpelicueta, Lundberg and Loureiro

In a taxonomic review of Venezuelan Phenacorhamdia, three species were recorded: P. anisura, originally described from the Río San Juan, Golfo de Paria basin; P. provenzanoi, new species, widely distributed in the Orinoco basin and P. taphorni, new species, restricted to upper Apure river basin. Phenacorhamdia anisura is redescribed based on topotypic material and a large number of specimens from sites across the Orinoco basin, expanding both the previously documented morphological variability and distribution of the species. Phenacorhamdia anisura has a broad distribution, sympatric and even syntopic with P. provenzanoi in the Orinoco basin, and is the only species of the genus found in the Golfo de Paria basin. Phenacorhamdia anisura is distinguished from congeners by the combination of maxillary barbel reaching three fourths along pectoral fin, outer mental barbel not reaching the pectoral-fin base, 5–7 gill rakers on the first arch, 41–43 vertebrae, nine pleural ribs, pectoral fin with modally seven branched rays, first basal radial of dorsal fin inserted posterior to vertebrae 11–12, anal fin with 12–15 rays (7–9 branched), caudal-fin lobes pointed, upper caudal-fin lobe with seven branched rays, lower caudal-fin lobe markedly longer than the upper caudal-fin lobe, uniform pigmentation of the body and some proportional measurements. Phenacorhamdia provenzanoi is diagnosed by the high number of vertebrae (47–48), and anal-fin rays (16–18), in combination with the number of gill rakers on the first arch (4–5) and some proportional measurements. Phenacorhamdia taphorni is diagnosed by the possession of multicuspid jaw teeth and fewer vertebrae (39). Morphological evidence supporting a previous hypothesis of phylogenetic affinities of Phenacorhamdia within heptapterids is discussed as well as the relationships of the new species described herein. Apomorphic tooth shape of P. taphorni supports a less inclusive clade within Phenacorhamdia, comprising this species and two undescribed forms of the Mamoré and Paraná basins, respectively.

New taxa: Phenacorhamdia provenzanoi DoNascimiento and Milani, Phenacorhamdia taphorni DoNascimiento and Milani

We describe a new species of driftwood catfish, Gelanoglanis travieso, (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae) from the Marañon River, a whitewater tributary of the Amazon River in northeastern Perú. It shares with the two described species in this genus, G. stroudi, from left bank whitewater tributaries of the Orinoco River in Colombia and Venezuela, and G. nanonocticolus from blackwater tributaries of the upper Orinoco and Negro Rivers in Amazonas, Venezuela and northern Brazil, the following synapomorphies: reduced size, compressed body, conical snout, a single pair of mental barbels, premaxillae widely separated at rostral border of upper jaw, premaxillary and dentary tooth patches narrow, posterior naris long and narrow and positioned immediately anterior to orbit, and small eyes. Gelanoglanis travieso differs from all congeners in having second dorsal-fin lepidotrichium filamentous, simple, not a spine, and not serrate (shared with G. nanonocticolus); pectoral-fin spine stout, serrate along posterior margin (shared with G. stroudi); and a terminal mouth (vs. subterminal in G. nanonocticolus and G. stroudi).

New taxon: Gelanoglanis travieso Rengifo and Lujan

Extant Doras are newly diagnosed among Doradidae by the unique combination of maxillary barbels long and fimbriate; mesethmoid with anterior lateral margins converging towards narrow tip; single anterior cranial fontanel contained largely within frontals and anteriorly by mesethmoid (posterior cranial fontanel occluded); anterior nuchal plate wide, pentaganol or roughly hexagonal, sharing distinct lateral suture with epioccipital and isolating supraoccipital from middle nuchal plate; nuchal foramina absent; coracoid process short, posterior tip falling well short of that of postcleithral process; dentary with acicular teeth; and skin immediately ventral to postcleithral process perforated with conspicuous pores. One fossil species, †D. dioneae, and two nominal extant species, D. carinatus and D. micropoeus, are recognized as valid and the latter two redescribed. Three additional extant species, D. phlyzakion, D. higuchii and D. zuanoni, are newly described from the middle Amazon and tributaries, lower Amazon tributaries and rio Araguaia (Tocantins drainage), respectively. Doras phlyzakion and D. zuanoni form a monophyletic group that is found in lowland, lentic habitats, and is characterized by multiple conspicuous pores in skin on breast and abdomen, a trait unique among doradids and rare if not unique among all catfishes. The remaining extant species, D. carinatus, D. higuchii and D. micropoeus, with uncertain relationships, are found in upland, lotic habitats. The occurrence of D. carinatus in the Orinoco basin suggests a historical link between right-bank tributaries of the lower Orinoco (e.g., Caroní) draining the western Guiana Shield and more eastern rivers (e.g., Cuyuní-Essequibo) that drain the Shield directly into the Atlantic Ocean. A key to extant species is provided, a neotype is designated for Silurus carinatus Linnaeus 1766, and Mormyropsis Miranda Ribeiro, 1911, is placed in the synonymy of Doras Lacepède, 1803.

New taxa: Doras higuchii Sabaj Pérez and Birindelli, Doras phlyzakion Sabaj Pérez and Birindelli, Doras zuanoni Sabaj Pérez and Birindelli