Gobius cobitis (Pallas, 1811)

Gobius cobitis image

Synonyms: Gobius capito Valenciennes, 1837; Gobius capitonellus Kessler, 1874.

Common names: Engl: Giant goby; Russ: Bychok-kruglyash; Turk: Kaya baligi.

Order (Scientific): PERCIFORMES.

Family (Scientific): GOBIIDAE.

Taxonomic descriptions: D VI, I 11-14; A I 10-13; P 18-21. Scales in lateral series: 60-66; Vertebrae: 27-29 (Gheorgiev, 1966). Head depth 0.81-0.90 width. Eye diameter 0.17-0.23 head length. Upper lip uniformly wide, comparatively short. Nape scaled, cheek naked. Pectoral free rays well developed. Pelvic disc 0.18-0.21 SL. Anterior membrane with lateral lobes. Suborbital papillae with 7 transverse rows. Colour: grey - brown - yellow. Size: to 27cm.

Gobius cobitis arealIUCN Status:
    World level:
    Black Sea Regional level:
    Subregion level: EN

Distribution: Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea (Miller, 1986). In Bulgaria: along the whole Black Sea coast.

Habitats type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors: Inshore, on stone and weedy ground, 2 to 10m; inshore zone.

Biology: Reproduction: May to beginning of July. Eggs below stones. Sexually mature at 2-3 years. Food: green algae, crustaceans, polychaetes, insects.

Population trends: Declining.

Threats: Chemical contamination.

Conservation measures taken: None.

Conservation measures proposed: Defence of fishing-net in breeding.

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. 3:1038.

Compiled by: Y.Sivkov, K.Prodanov.