Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gobiiformes (Gobies) >
Gobiidae (Gobies) > Gobiinae
Etymology: Benthophilus: Greek, benthos = depth of the sea + Greek, phyle, that loves (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Sauvage.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; demersal. Temperate; 4°C - 20°C (Ref. 2059); 56°N - 36°N, 22°E - 54°E
Europe: Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Caspian rivers and estuaries.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 13.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2058); 11.0 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: a tubercle between eyes; sparse granules on flanks, backward only to below D2 base, rare between upper lateral and dorsal rows of tubercles; head width 94-104 % HL; tubercles in dorsal row 27-30, ventral row 22-25, upper lateral row 10-16 (slightly smaller posteriorly), lower lateral row with few tiny tubercles or absent; chin barbel slightly compressed, thick, about equal in length with eye diameter; origin of D2 in front of anal origin; transverse rows of neuromasts on flank 19-23; no spot in front of D2; sides with dark blotches and irregular dots; a blotch around base of first dorsal usually reaching origin of D2 (Ref. 59043); head and body covered with spinulose bony platelets; rounded caudal fins and ventral suckers (Ref. 92840).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Inhabits shallow coastal lagoons and lowland rivers in freshwater and brackish water with salinity below 12 ppt. Adults occur in muddy reaches of rivers; in brackish water, more than 3 m deep (Ref. 4696, 59043). This species spawns after first winter, May-June and females die shortly after spawning while with males, some weeks after. Feeds on mollusks, crustaceans, insect larvae and small fishes (Ref. 4696, 59043). Eggs are pear-shaped (Ref. 4696).
Miller, P.J., 1986. Gobiidae. p. 1019-1085. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Volume 3. UNESCO, Paris. (Ref. 4696)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00724 (0.00339 - 0.01546), b=3.10 (2.92 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.56 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec=700).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
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