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Ariidae (Sea catfishes) > Ariinae
Etymology: Ariopsis: Greek, ari = very, strength, superiority + Greek, opsis = appearance (Ref. 45335); jimenezi: Named after Máximo Jiménez Acosta, zooarchaeology technician at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, who drew attention to the possible existence of a new species based on the examination of osteological characters in specimens formerly missidentified as A. seemanni./i>.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal. Tropical
Eastern Pacific: Panama.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 35.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 116660)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: external posterior branch of the lateral ethmoid thick and depressed; an inconspicuous fenestra delimited by the mesethmoid and lateral ethmoid; pectoral spine short 14.6-18.1% SL; osseous medial groove present; fleshy medial groove of neurocranium conspicuous and very long, always surpassing the posterior margin of eyes; lateral margin of sphenotic notched, narrower medially than anteriorly; pterotic lateral margin smoothly convex; gill rakers on the first gill arch, 16–17 rarely 15, gill rakers on the first and second gill arches 29-34; mouth narrow 9.0-11.4% SL; distance between anterior nostrils narrow 5.6-6.5% SL; median portion of mesethmoid narrow, medial notch of mesethmoid narrow and deep (Ref. 116660).
Cross section: oval.
Found in shallow inshore waters (Ref. 116660).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Marceniuk, A.P., A.P. Acero, R. Cooke and R. Betancur-R, 2017. Taxonomic revision of the new world genus Ariopsis Gill (Siluriformes: Ariidae), with description of two new species. Zootaxa 4290(1):1-42. (Ref. 116660)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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