Round goby

GaMLeT 12 Янв 2021

Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) - Defined as a euryhaline bottom-dwelling goby of the family Gobiidae, it is native to central Eurasia, including the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Round gobies have established large non-native populations in the Baltic Sea, several major Eurasian rivers, and the North American Great Lakes.Round gobies are small, soft-bodied fish characterized by a distinctive black spot on the first dorsal fin. The eyes are large and protrude slightly from the top of the head and, like most gobies, the pelvic fins are fused to form a single disc (shaped like a suction cup) on the belly. Round gobies range in length from 10 to 25 centimetres (4 to 10 inches), with a maximum size of 24.6 cm (9.7 in). They weigh between 5.0 to 79.8 grams (0.176 to 2.816 ounces), their weight increasing with age. Male round gobies are larger than females. Juvenile round gobies (less than one year old) are grey. Upon maturation, round gobies become mottled with grey, black, brown, and olive green markings. Adult male round gobies turn inky black during the spawning season and develop swollen cheeks. Male and female round gobies are easily differentiated by the shape of their urogenital papilla, which in males is white to grey and long and pointed and in females is brown, short, and blunt-tipped.

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