Hoplosternum littorale (Hancock 1828; 24cm length) is the extant kwi kwi, a South American catfish armored from nose to tail. It breathes air. The incurrent and excurrent nares are enormous. This is a basal catfish close to Robustichthys. Note the ascending process of the premaxilla contacts the frontal.

Synodontis clarias (originally Silurus clarias, Linnaeus 1758; 9-18cm length) is the extant angel catfish or squeaker, a type of mochokid catfish. The skull bones extend past the dorsal fin in this fish that sometimes swims upside-down. The sucker mouth is weak and ventrally oriented, convergent with bottom-dwelling placoderms, like Bothriolepis.