Rhinogobius, Gill, 1859

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 690-691

Rhinogobius

Rhinogobius is a large group of small gobies widely distributed in East and Southeast Asia. It is estimated that there are around 112 species in the genus, with many more yet to be described. Stream gobies exhibit a wide range of life history traits, with some species inhabiting coastal rivers and streams, being amphidromous and producing many eggs and small pelagic larvae. These species often have large distribution areas. Others inhabit headwater streams and lay few eggs from which large benthic larvae hatch. A significant proportion of these species are endemic to a single or few rivers, and only a small proportion have likely been described. Consequently, the identification of Rhinogobius species is challenging, as only a few regional faunas have been extensively studied, while Rhinogobius from China, Russia, and Vietnam remain largely unstudied. One Rhinogobius species is non-native in West Asia, and it is believed to have been introduced from Central Asia to Iran as a contaminant of commercially cultivated fishes such as Chinese carps ( Ctenopharyngodon , Hypophthalmichthys ). It is thought to originate from the Russian Amur, from where it was introduced to Central Asia during Soviet times. Chinese carps have also been introduced to Central Asia from China (e.g., from Wuhan, Yangtze). It cannot be excluded that the non-native Rhinogobius originate from outside the Amur. These Rhinogobius have been identified as R. similis , R. lindbergi , or R. cheni . Still, identification of the species is based only on the assumption that it has been introduced from the Amur drainage and that these are the only similar species in the Amur. Rhinogobius is a very spe- ciose genus, and many undescribed species are expected to occur in China and the Russian part of the Amur drainage. A comprehensive identification of non-native Rhinogobius is only possible when the diversity of Chinese Rhinogobius species is better understood. The species has expanded its range in the western Caspian basin and Iran. It has recently also reached the Rioni in the Georgian Black Sea basin, opening the door for a westward invasion. As it continues to be introduced as a weed with commercial fish, it could virtually be found everywhere, especially in areas where carps are stocked. In addition to the species discussed here, R. brunneus or a similar species, has been recorded from the Persian Gulf but has not been confirmed recently.

Further reading. Endruweit 2018; Huang et al. 2016; Chen et al. 2002; Chen & Shao 1996; Shibukawa 2020 (diversity, life history); Vasil’eva 2007 (Central Asia).