Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Gobiidae (Gobies) > Gobiinae
Etymology: Benthophilus: Greek, benthos = depth of the sea + Greek, phyle, that loves (Ref. 45335).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal. Boreal, preferred ?
Europe and Asia: Northern, western and southern parts of Caspian Sea; lower reaches of Volga up to Astrakhan.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 14.3 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 85452)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: 2 tubercles between the eyes; projecting upper jaw distinct; tubercles in dorsal row 27-30, ventral row 27-30, upper lateral row 15-24 but the lower one usually absent; granules few or sparse on head and back in front of first dorsal; a few larger ones between upper lateral and dorsal rows of tubercles; chin barbel slightly compressed, half of eye diameter in length; D1 III-IV; sides with dark blotches and irregular dots (Ref. 59043).
This species is rarely found in marine waters for it prefers salinity below 9 ppt. Occurs in still or slowly flowing water over muddy bottom at depths of around 0.5-10 m in summer and moves to deeper waters in winter. It lives for a about a year; spawns in April-October. Females lay eggs in two portions, sometimes more and die shortly after last release of eggs while the males die 3-4 weeks later. The males probably guard a clutch of eggs until hatching. Feeds on benthic invertebrates, mainly molluscs (Ref.59043).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Females lay eggs in two, sometimes more, portions. Females die shortly after last release of eggs, males 3-4 weeks later. (Ref.59043).
Bogutskaya, N.G. and A.M. Naseka, 2002. REGIONAL CHECK-LISTS: Volga River Drainage Area. In Website and Database: "Freshwater Fishes of Russia": A Source of Information on the Current State of the Fauna. Zoological Institute RAS. (Ref. 58297)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
More information
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Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00851 (0.00463 - 0.01565), b=3.01 (2.85 - 3.17), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.3 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100) .