The muscles of the cephalic region and pectoral girdle of Arius heudeloti, Genidens genidens and Bagre marinus are described and compared with those of non-ariid siluriforms. Our observations and comparisons revealed that, although the configuration of the cephalic and pectoral girdle musculature of these ariid species is basically similar to that of other catfishes, these species present two myological peculiarities that could eventually represent autapomorphic characters of the family Ariidae, namely: 1) the muscle adductor arcus palatini inserts not only on the mesial margin of the suspensorium, but also on a significant part of the lateral surface of this complex structure; 2) the adductor mandibulae Aw is obliquely oriented, with its postero-dorsal fibres being significantly dorsal to the upper edge of the coronoid process.