Comb Spined Catfish

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 15 - 18

Found in rivers. Feeds on aquatic and terrestrial insects and their larvae, prawns and detritus.

Found in rivers. Feeds on aquatic and terrestrial insects and their larvae, prawns and detritus.

Arius carinatus Weber, 1913

USNM 217062, Fly 75–17, 1: 368 mm.

USNM 217063, Fly 75–26, 2: 325–364 mm.

USNM 217064, Fly 75–29, 1: 380 mm.

Arius carinatus is endemic to rivers of central-southern New Guinea. Only four specimens were caught during the 1975 Fly survey, three from the Middle Fly and one from the Lower Fly. It is a narrow-mouthed species, the head narrowed anteriorly, with distinctively shaped tooth bands (Figure 20c). About two-thirds of tooth band of upper jaw exposed when mouth is closed. Snout prominent, projecting beyond mouth opening by a distance about equal to eye diameter. Mouth inferior, with a nearly straight transverse gape. Maxillary barbel variable in length, extending posteriorly as little as three-fourths of distance to pectoral spine base or as much as to end of anterior one-third of pectoral spine. Eyes dorsolateral, 38–41 in specimens 325–380 mm. Gill rakers on first gill arch 17–18; posterior faces of first and second gill arches with relatively well-developed gill rakers. Roof of pharynx and upper limbs of second and third gill arches with folds or valves projecting into branchial passages. Head shield strongly granulated, with a well-developed median nuchal carina: posterolateral processes of head shield (immediately dorsal to gill opening) exposed and strongly granulated. Pectoral fin usually with 11 segmented rays. Anal fin pterygiophores 16. Free vertebral centra posterior to Weberian apparatus 44 (2: 325–364 mm). Color in life: dorsum reddish or brownish with golden or bronzy reflections, ventrum white; pectoral fins with dense black pigmentation dorsally.

The comb-spined catfish (Cinetodus carinatus) is a species of catfish in the family Ariidae. It was described by Max Carl Wilhelm Weber in 1913, originally under the genus Arius. It is known to inhabit freshwater rivers in New Guinea. It reaches a standard length of 40 cm (16 in). Its diet includes prawns, detritus, and a variety of terrestrial and aquatic insects and insect larvae.