Classification / Names
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Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gobiiformes (Gobies) >
Gobiidae (Gobies) > Gobiinae
Etymology: Benthophilus: Greek, benthos = depth of the sea + Greek, phyle, that loves (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Berg.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; demersal. Temperate
Europe: in Tendrovskiy Bay, occurs in limans and coastal lakes of north-western Black Sea, lakes of Danube delta; in rivers, found rather far upstream from Danube to Iron Gate dam, Dniester to Bendery, South Bug to Aleksandrovskaya dam (formerly) Gard rapids. Invasive in Dnieper reservoirs after damming in late 1940s where it now reaches up to Kiev and Ingulets up to Snegirevka.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 15.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 58669); max. reported age: 1.00 years (Ref. 59043)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: a tubercle between eyes; numerous, densely-set granules on head and flanks, also between dorsal and upper lateral rows of tubercles on caudal fin; head width 77-92% HL; tubercles in dorsal row 26-29, ventral row 22-25, upper lateral row over 20 (not markedly smaller on caudal peduncle), lower lateral row up to 10; chin barbel slightly compressed, thick, about half in eye diameter in length; origin of D2 in front of anal origin; transverse rows of neuromasts on flank 19-23; a dark spot often in front of D2; sides with dark blotches and irregular dots; a blotch around base of first dorsal not reaching origin of D2 (Ref. 59043).
Inhabits fresh and slightly brackish waters, preferring lower reaches of rivers, deltas, lakes and freshwater limans. In rivers, this is commonly abundant in main river bed. Occurs usually on silty sand with mollusk shells (Ref. 58669). Longevity is about a year. Spawns in May-August with females probably laying eggs in 2-3 portions inside or under mollusc shell and adults die soon after spawning. Feeds mainly on chironomid larvae, amphipods and molluscs (Ref.59043). Invasive in the large tributaries of the Caspian and Black Sea (Ref. 92840).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Females probably lay eggs in 2-3 portions inside or under a molluscs shell (Ref. 59043).
Boldyrev, V.S. and N.G. Bogutskaya, 2007. Revision of the tadpole-gobies of the genus Benthophilus (Teleostei: Gobiidae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 18(1):31-96. (Ref. 58669)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
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): 3.4 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
