Benthophilus leptocephalus Kessler, 1877

Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash, Ghanavi, Hamid Reza & Doadrio, Ignacio, 2020, Fig. 4 in Fig. 4 in Fig. 3 in Fig. 21. Sesarmops mora n in Paralbunea dayriti, Zoological Studies 59 (21), pp. 1-303 : 228

Benthophilus leptocephalus Kessler, 1877 – Native

Benthophilus leptocephalus Kessler [K. F.] 1877: 45; Type locality: Southern Caspian Sea, depth 756 feet [108 Russian fathoms, 230 m]. Lectotype: ZIN 10894. Paralectotypes: (1).

Common name: Pr: Gavmahi-e kale sangi, En:

Stone head Goby.

Diagnosis: Distinguished by having lack of dermal fold (vs. present), a thin and undeveloped chin babel which usually hardly visible or absent (vs. well-developed), row r comprising of 1 neuromast (vs. 2–5 neuromasts). Dorsal row tubercle incomplete. It is distinguished from B. ctenolepidus by having smaller head (head width 71–80% HL vs. 88–89) and a small mouth (width 42–49% HL).

Meristic characters: D 1: II–VI (III), D 2: I 9–11 (10), A: I 8–11 (10), P: 15–18 (16–17), TV: 28–30 (29– 30), PF: 3–227*01*1*1.

Distribution: Caspian basin ( Fig. 422). Found in the western Middle Caspian south to 39°41'N and the eastern South Caspian south to Hasan Kuli in Turkmenistan.

Taxonomy.

Conservation: IUCN: Not Evaluated, PC: Data Deficient. There are not enough data on this species to accurately evaluate its conservation status.