Gobius bucchichi Steindachner, 1870

Synonyms: Gobius lynx Kessler, 1874; Gobius fallax Sarato, 1889; Gobius (Zostericola) 0phiocephalus (non Pall.) de Buen, 1930; Berg, 1949

Common names: Engl: Bucchich’s goby; Turk: Kaya baligi

Order: PERCIFORMES

Family: GOBIIDAE

Taxonomic descriptions: D VI, I 13-14; A I 12-14; P 17-20; Scales in lateral series: 50-58; Vertebrae: 28 (Gheorgiev, 1966). Head depth 0.9 to equal with width. Eye diameter 0.28-0.28 head length. Upper lip uniformly wide. Nape scaled, cheek naked. Pectoral free rays well developed. Pelvic disc 0.24-0.25 SL, Anterior membrane without lateral lobes. Suborbital papillae with 7 transverse rows. Colour: grey to grey-brown, with longitudinal rows of dark spots along head and body. Size: to 10 cm.

Gobius bucchichi arealIUCN Status:
    World level: EN
    Black Sea Regional level: EN
    Subregion level: CR (Bulgarian Coast)

Distribution: Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea (Miller,1986). In Bulgaria: Maslen Cape.

Habitats type, Critical habitats Limiting factors: Inshore, on sand and mud, with sea-grass.

Biology: Reproduction: June-August. Sexually mature at 1 year. Food: polychaetes, crustaceans, molluscs and algae.

Population trends: Declininng.

Threats: Pollution.

Conservation measures taken: None.

Conservation measures proposed: Stopping industrial pollution.

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. 3:1037.

Compiled by: K.Prodanov, Y.Sivkov