Neogobius syrman Nordmann, 1840

Neogobius syrman image

Synonyms: Gobius syrman Nordmann, 1840; Gobius trautwetteri Kessler, 1859

Common names: Engl: Syrman goby; Bulg: Sirman; Russ: Shirman; Turk: Kaya baligi; Ukr: Shirman

Order: PERCIFORMES

Family: GOBIIDAE

Taxonomic descriptions: D VI, I 15-19; A I 12-15; P 18-21; Scales in lateral series 59-67; Vertebrae 33-36; Head depth 1.1-1.2 width. Eye diameter 0.16-0.26 head length. Upper lip thin and long. Angle of jaws below anterior part of pupil. Pelvic disc 0.19-0.24 SL. Anterior membrane with shallow, rounded, lateral lobes. Caudal peduncle depth about half own length. Suborbital papillae with 8 transverse rows. Colour: the body is grey to grey-brown with large brown spots in staggered rows. Size: to 22 cm (Gheorgiev, 1966).

Neogobius syrman arealIUCN Status:
    World level:
    Black Sea Regional level:
    Subregion level: CR (Bulgarian Coast)

Distribution: Estuaries of Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Caspian Sea (Miller, 1986). In Bulgaria: Lakes Burgas and Mandra.

Habitats type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors: Inshore, on stone-gravel ground, sand, muddy sand or mud; in slightly brackish and rarely freshwater; Lakes Mandra and Burgas; chemical contamination.

Biology: Reproduction: March to end of April. Eggs below and between stones. Sexually mature at 1 or 2 years. Food: crustaceans, small fish, bivalves, polychaetes.

Population trends: Declinig rapidly.

Threats: Chemical contamination.

Conservation measures taken: None.

Conservation measures proposed: Suspension of pollution.

References:

  1. Gheorgiev, J. 1966. Composition d’espece et caracteristique des Gobiides (Pisces) en Bulgarie. - Proc. Res. Inst. Fish., Oceanogr. Varna, VII: 159-228.
  2. Miller, P. 1986. Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, v. 3: 1065.

Compiled by: Y.Sivkov, K.Prodanov