Knipowitschia caunosi

Common name. Kaunos dwarf goby.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Knipowitschia in West Asia by: ○ head canals present / ○ posterior oculoscapular canal absent / ○ anterior oculoscapular canals usually fused in posterior interorbital space, with a single pore λ, rarely canals not extending to interorbital space / ○ flank and caudal peduncle covered by scales, with more than one series along lateral midline / ○ anterior extremity of anterior oculoscapular canal in front of middle of eye (pore λ) (Fig. 64) / ○ otic transverse row tra of papillae on cheek not reaching to row b / ○ no transverse row of papillae on cheek through row d / ○ caudal symmetric. Size up to 30 mm SL.

Distribution . Türkiye: Lake Köyceğiz basin.

Habitat. Fresh to brackish waters of coastal lakes and rivers.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. EN; appears to be declining within its very small range.

Remarks. Knipowitschia caunosi is much rarer than K. byblisia and seems to be endemic to Lake Köyceğiz.

Further reading. Ahnelt 2011 (description).