''Ancharius'', the Vaonas, is a small

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...

es ( order Siluriformes) of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Anchariidae The Anchariidae are a family of catfishes containing two genera, '' Ancharius'' and ''Gogo'' with 6 species. Anchariids are a strictly freshwater group endemic to Madagascar. Anchariids are characterized by the presence of fringed barbels and a r ...

. ''Ancharius'' has been variably placed in

Mochokidae The Mochokidae are a family of catfishes ( order Siluriformes) that are known as the squeakers and upside-down catfish (although not all species swim upside-down). There are nine genera and about 200 species of mochokids. All the mochokids are f ...

Ariidae The Ariidae or ariid catfish are a family of catfish that mainly live in marine waters with many freshwater and brackish water species. They are found worldwide in tropical to warm temperate zones. The family includes about 143 species. Taxonom ...

, and

. They are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

Species

This genus currently contain two described species: * '' Ancharius fuscus'' Steindachner, 1880 * '' Ancharius griseus'' H. H. Ng & Sparks, 2005

References

Endemic fauna of Madagascar Anchariidae Catfish genera Taxa named by Franz Steindachner Freshwater fish genera {{Ariidae-stub