Gobionidae, Bleeker, 1863

Freyhof, Jörg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, GmbH, Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter : 250-251

Family Gobionidae

Gudgeons

Gudgeons are a family of Cypriniformes that are most diverse in East Asia, from the Amur drainage southward to Central Vietnam; some 28 genera and 231 species are known. In West Asia, there are 17 species, all of which, except Pseudorasbora , being benthic fishes with a flat belly, laterally spread pectoral fins, a single pair of maxillary barbels, and 6½ branched anal rays (vs. 5½ in most Cyprinidae ). Some Asian genera exhibit a markedly different morphology from that of true gudgeons. They have a more compressed body, the mouth is inferior to subterminal (even superior in Pseudorasbora and a few others), and they are distinguished from many other East Asian Cypriniformes by having 6½ branched anal rays. Some species of Sarcocheilichthys are noteworthy for spawning in the gill cavity of unionid freshwater mussels, similar to bitterlings; they, too, have developed an ovipositor. Interestingly, gudgeons and bitterlings are closely related. One East Asian species, Pseudorasbora parva , was accidentally introduced to Europe and Central Asia. From both directions, it made its way to West Asia, where it is now widely established. Except for Pseudorasbora , all gudgeons are superficially similar, bottom-dwelling fishes with a midlateral row of dark-brown or grey blotches on the flank and spotted bodies and fins.

Further reading. Bănărescu & Nalbant 1973 (systematics); Turan et al. 2012a (identification of Anatolian species).

Key to genera of Gobionidae in West Asia

1a - Barbels absent; mouth superior. ……………… Pseudorasbora

1b - Barbels present; mouth inferior. ………………2

2a - Caudal peduncle 3.1–3.8 times its depth; epithelial crests on scales on back. ……………… Romanogobio

2b - Caudal peduncle 1.5–2.5 times its depth; no epithelial crests on scales on back. ……………… Gobio

Key to species of Gobio in West Asia, excluding G. nigrescens from Hari drainage

1a - 42–63 total lateral-line scales. ………………2

1b - 39–45 total lateral-line scales. ………………5

2a - Scales extend forward to level of pectoral origin or to half distance of pectoral origin and isthmus. ……………… G. microlepidotus

2b - Scales on chest almost extend to isthmus. ………………3

3a - Head length 24–27 % SL. ……………… G. hettitorum

3b - Head length 27–29 % SL. ………………4

4a - Distance between anus and anal origin 5–7 % SL;caudal-peduncle length 1.7–2.2 times in caudal-peduncle depth. ……………… G. intermedius

4b - Distance between anus and anal origin 7–8 % SL; caudal-peduncle length 1.4–1.7 times in caudal-peduncle depth. ……………… G. maeandricus

5a - 8–10 scales between posterior extremity of pelvic base and anus. ………………6

5b - 4–8 scales between posterior extremity of pelvic base and anus. ………………7

6a - Diameter of scales on belly approximately equal to pupil diameter. ……………… G. insuyanus

6b - Diameter of scales on belly clearly smaller than pupil diameter. ……………… G. kizilirmakensis

7a - Interorbital distance 1.6–2.2 times in eye diameter. ………………8

7b - Interorbital distance 1.0–1.6 times in eye diameter. ………………10

8a - No black spots on head. ……………… G. gymnostethus

8b - Many small black spots on head. ………………9

9a - Distance between anus and anal origin 5–7 % SL; body depth at dorsal origin 22–27 % SL. ……………… G. fahrettini

9b - Distance between anus and anal origin 7–10 % SL; body depth at dorsal origin 18–22 % SL. ……………… G. baliki

10a - Breast completely scaled, scales extending to isthmus; snout rounded, distinctly concave anterior to nostril. ………………11

10b - Breast naked or incompletely scaled, if scales on chest present, scales extending forward to level of pectoral origin; snout pointed, not or slightly concave anterior to nostril. ………………12

11a - Pectoral reaching to or 1 scale in front of pelvic origin in mature male. ……………… G. caucasicus

11b - Pectoral reaching 3–4 scales in front of pelvic origin in mature male. ……………… G. sakaryaensis

12a - Head length 28–30 % SL. ……………… G. kovatschevi

12b - Head length 24–26 % SL. ……………… G. artvinicus