Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic. Temperate; 58°N - 36°N, 25°E - 75°E
Europe and Asia: Lower courses of rivers draining to northern shore of Black, Caspian and Aral Sea basins, Danube drainage as far upstream as Belgrade; isolated populations in Axios and Aliakmon drainages (Greece); upper Tobol system (Ob drainage), Lake Issyk-kul basin (Kyrgyzstan) and Sarysu drainage (central Kazakhstan).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 6.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 59043)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 11. Distinguished uniquely from its congeners in Europe by having large lateral scutes. Differs further from other members of the genus by the combination of the following characters: side of caudal peduncle without keel; and dorsal fin with 8-11 spines (Ref. 59043).
Occurs in fresh, brackish and marine waters (Ref. 58342). Inhabits swamps and slow-flowing streams with dense vegetation. Feeds on benthic invertebrates. Territorial during spawning season. Males construct a nest and guard the nest until the young swim away a few weeks later. Attain first sexual maturity at 1 year of age (Ref. 59043).
Territorial during spawning season. Males construct a nest made of filamentous algae and submerged plant and consisted of a separate entrance and exit. They guard the nest until the young swim away a few weeks later (Ref. 205, 59043).
Kottelat, M. and J. Freyhof, 2007. Handbook of European freshwater fishes. Publications Kottelat, Cornol and Freyhof, Berlin. 646 pp. (Ref. 59043)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
