Batanin and Markls operadic categories are categories in which each map is endowed with a finite collection of abstract fibres -- also objects of the same category -- subject to suitable axioms. We give a reconstruction of the data and axioms of operadic categories in terms of the decalage comonad D on small categories. A simple case involves unary operadic categories -- ones wherein each map has exactly one abstract fibre -- which are exhibited as categories which are, first of all, coalgebras for the comonad D, and, furthermore, algebras for the monad induced on the category of D-coalgebras by the forgetful-cofree adjunction. A similar description is found for general operadic categories arising out of a corresponding analysis that starts from a modified decalage comonad on the arrow category of Cat.
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