Benthophiloides brauneri (Beling and Iljin, 1927)

Synonyms: None.

Common names: None.

Order (Scientific): PERCIFORMES.

Family (Scientific): GOBIIDAE.

Taxonomic descriptions: D VI, I 11-13; A I 9-11; P 18-20; Vertebrae: 27-29 (Gheorgiev, 1966). Head is wide, dorso-ventrally depressed. Body depth 0.60-0.66 than width. Upper lip uniformly wide. Eyes 0.20-0.24 head length. Colour: with broad dark band across behind pectoral fin and below first dorsal. Size: to 7.2cm.

IUCN Status:
    World level:
    Black Sea Regional level:
    Subregion level: VU (Bulgarian Coast)

Distribution: Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Caspian Sea estuaries and rivers (Miller, 1986). In Bulgaria: only in Lake Shabla.

Habitats type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors: Fresh and brackish waters, change of the hydrological regime in Lake Shabla.

Biology: Reproduction: July-August. Food: chironomid larvae, small crustaceans, gastropods.

Population trends: Declining.

Threats: Changes in the hydrological regime in Lake Shabla.

Conservation measures taken: None.

Conservation measures proposed: Settling in Lakes Durankulak and Ezeretz.

References:

1. Gheorgiev, J. 1966. Composition d’espece et caracteristique des Gobiides (Pisces) en Bulgarie. - Proc. Res. Inst. Fish., Oceanogr. Varna, VII: 159-228.
2. Miller, P. 1986. Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, v. 3: 1024.

Compiled by: K.Prodanov, Y.Sivkov.