Gobionidae, Bleeker, 1863

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 250

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

Open Access. © 2025 JÖrg Freyhof, Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu, Arash Jouladeh-Roudbar and Cüneyt Kaya, published by De Gruyter. the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111677811-016

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