Loach catfish
The loach catfishes are a family, Amphiliidae, of catfishes (order Siluriformes). They are widespread in tropical Africa, but are most common in streams at high elevations; most species are able to cling to rocks in fast-flowing streams. The 13 genera contain 68 species.
| Loach catfishes | |
|---|---|
| Amphilius grandis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Superfamily: | Loricarioidea |
| Family: | Amphiliidae Regan, 1911 |
| Genera | |
|
Subfamily Amphiliinae | |
The family Amphiliidae has three subfamilies, Amphiliinae, Leptoglanidinae (previously misspelled Leptoglaninae), and Doumeinae. The monophyly of Amphiliidae has been questioned; one author restricts the family to the members of the subfamily Amphiliinae and transferred the other genera to a family Doumeidae. The Amphiliidae have been previously thought to be a basal taxon in the superfamily Loricarioidea, but some authors place their relationships elsewhere.