Genus: Aspistor, Bressou Sea Catfish, Bressou Sea Catfishes
2 front nape plates v large, square/pentagonal
occipital process – short, round, wide at base, rear edge convex
rear edge 1st 2 gill arches - no rakers
gill opening wide
ASPISTOR
BRESSOU SEA CATFISHES
Top of head granular, rough or ridged (but without granules or tiny spines at front), covered with thin skin, with wide, shallow longitudinal depression (without narrow central groove) at front; front and middle bony nape plates very large, square to pentagonal; rear edge of occipital process convex, that process round, short, wide at base; 2 pairs of close-set nostrils; no fleshy furrow between rear nostrils; 3 pairs of barbels (on chin and both jaws); teeth on roof of mouth in 2 pairs of large patches with molar teeth, side patches in form of back-ward pointing triangles; no rakers on rear surfaces of first two gill arches; gill opening wide, membranes not adhering to breast; bony plate above base of pectoral fin triangular, pointed; adipose dorsal fin long, base long as anal fin base; tail fin deeply forked; a complete lateral line, with branches to top and bottom base of tail fin, no scales.
A South American genus with two species; one in the southern fringe of the Greater Caribbean
