Neogobius, Iljin, 1927

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 662

Neogobius

Neogobius was previously employed as a catchall group for larger gobies in the Black Sea and Caspian basins. Molecular studies have increased our knowledge about the phylogenetic structure of these gobies. Neogobius is now restricted to one strict freshwater species in Italy ( N. nigricans ), two euryhaline species (discussed below), and three marine species ( N. bathybius , N. caspius , and N. pallasi ) in the Black Sea and Caspian basins. Neogobius pallasi is known to enter freshwaters in the Volga but not in West Asia. Consequently, it is only included in the key to allow the user of the book to identify this species. Other species previously included in Neogobius are now placed in Babka and Ponticola .

Further reading. Neilson & Stepien 2009 (phylogeny).

Key to species of Neogobius in freshwaters in West Asia

1a - First dorsal with large black spot in its posterior part; first branched ray of second dorsal about as long as penultimate ray. ……………… N. melanostomus

1b - First dorsal without or with a very small black spot in its posterior part; first branched ray of second dorsal about twice as long as penultimate ray. ………………2

2a - First dorsal without black spot. ……………… N. fluviatilis

2b - First dorsal with small black spot on posterior part, at least in juveniles. ……………… N. pallasi