Neogobius fluviatilis Ponticola kessleri

Distribution and biology of Neogobius fluviatilis, 

Ponticola kessleri and Babka gymnotrachelus 

Prof. dr. sc. Marina Piria 

University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of 

fisheries, beekeeping, game management and spec. zoology

Neogobius fluviatilis (Pallas, 1814) – monkey goby 

- second dorsal fin ray (first branched ray about twice as long as 

penultimate ray), 

- nape scale structure, 

- pelvic disc fraenum with small rounded lobes 

- scales in midlateral series 

- First dorsal without black spot 

Ponticola kessleri (Günther, 1861) – bighead goby 

- second dorsal fin ray (first branched ray about as long as 

penultimate ray) 

- Nape complitely covered with ctenoid scales 

- pelvic disc fraenum with angular lobes 

- First dorsal without black spot 

Babka gymnotrachelus (Kessler, 1857) – racer goby 

- irregular position and shape of diagonal bars on body; 

- first branched ray of second dorsal about as long as penultimate 

ray; 

- no scales on midline of nape, in front of preoperculum; 

- pelvic-disc fraenum with small rounded lobes 

- first dorsal without black spot

The sampling efficiency of electrofishing for 

Neogobius species 

• Reyol et al. (2005)- estimetad electrofishing efficiency 55% in 

rock dominated habitats – for all bentic fishes 

• Wiesner (2004)- estimetad electrofishing efficiency for 

Neogobius spp. under lab. conditions (artificial rip rap 

analogy)- 30-50% 

(Polačik et al., 2008) 

• Single pass electrofishing is commonly used in large rivers, 

and this method is frequently used to sample Neogobius spp. 

In areas with rocky substrate

Aim of investigation 

• To determine the efficiency of single pass 

electrofishing in areas with rocky substrate 

• Hypotesis: expected lower efficiency of 

electrofishing for these bentic species in their 

natural riverine environment

Material and methods 

• Fish was captured at main 

channel of the Danube 

River in the town of Vidin 

Bulgaria 

• Backpach unit Lena, pulsed 

DC, 85Hz, 300 V with 

eliptical stainless steel 

anode 40x20 cm and 4 mm 

mesh size; 0.6 m long 

stripe shaped copper 

cathode

Results 

Species Mean efficiency 

N. Fluviatilis 35.4 

B. Gymnotrachelus 50.1 

P. Kessleri 16.7 

N. melanostomus 23.7 

Neogobius spp. 29.7 

Percids 74.6

• Backpack and towboat electrofishing can be used to 

consistently capture N. melanostomus in clear, wadeable 

water, although this method requires the operator to focus 

on searching for fish on the bottom and may be aided by 

overturning rocks 

• N. elanostomus lacks a swimbladder and does not float 

when electrofished (Phillips et al., 2003; Kornis & Vander 

Zanden, 2010). 

• Beach seining is inefficient at sampling the preferred rocky 

habitat, but kick seining, whereby a short (c. 2 m) seine is 

placed downstream of rocky habitat to collect fish as the 

rocky habitat is disturbed by kicking, has proven effective 

(Jude et al., 1995)

N. fluviatilis 

• The natural habitat of the monkey 

goby is the fresh and brackish waters 

of basins in the Black Sea and the Sea 

of Marmara. 

• In the Black Sea and the surrounding 

areas, the monkey goby is common in 

all desalinated water including the 

Danube river and its tributaries, the 

lagoons and estuaries of the northwestern 

part of the Black Sea, the Sea 

of Azov, and the rivers of Caucasus. 

Kottelat and Freyhof, 2007

• Recently, the monkey goby has been registered as 

an invasive species in some countries of Europe. 

• In 1970, the species was first declared as a nonindigenous 

in Lake Balaton in Hungary 

• discovered in the Middle Danube in Hungary in 

1984. 

• In 2001 it was found to have spread to the Slovak- 

Hungarian sector of the Danube River. 

• In the basin of the Baltic Sea it was first registered 

as an invasive species in 1997. 

• The species has also become a common sight in the 

Włocławek Reservoir and Zegrze Reservoir (Poland). 

• has been found in the German part of the river 

Rhine since March 2009. 

• It has also been found in the Waal River, near 

Nijmegen, the Netherlands 

• In August 2011 the monkey goby is registered for 

the first time in the Evros River (Greece), which is 

inflows to the Aegean Sea 

• In Croatia – Danube River, Sava river and its 

tributaries

Biology 

• Occurs in inshore habitats, estuaries and 

brackish- and fresh-water lagoons and lakes; large 

to medium sized rivers and streams; on sand or 

mud bottom 

• It is one of the most abundant fish in lowland 

rivers. 

• This species lives up to 5 years; The average adult 

monkey goby measures 7–10 centimeters, but 

has been known to grow to lengths of 18–20 

centimeters

Spawning 

• spawns for the first time at 2 years; 

• spawning season in April to July, locally until 

September, when temperature is above 13°C 

• females may repeat spawning during a season. 

• Males with body completely black with yellow fin 

margins during the spawning season; 

• these excavate nests under any kind of hard 

substrate and guard eggs until hatching; 

• with adhesive eggs deposited on stones, shells 

and aquatic plants

Feeding 

• the diet of the monkey goby consists of amphipods, molluscs, and Oligochaeta 

Joanna Grabowska, Michał Grabowski, Anna Kostecka (2009): 

Diet and feeding habits of monkey goby (Neogobius fluviatilis) in a newly invaded area 

- how this new species influences native freshwater 

communities especially when the invader is a 

predator such as the monkey goby? One impact may 

be the reduction in size of the populations of 

indigenous prey species 

Fig. 1 Sampling site locations. The black 

line and arrow indicate the current range 

and direction of expansion of the monkey 

goby in the Vistula River system

• In the majority of habitats in its natural range, both marine and freshwater 

monkey goby were significant mollusc consumers, although a wide range 

of prey were observed, based chiefly on macroinvertebrates (annelids, 

crustaceans, insects) rather than on fish (see Pinchuk et al. 2003 for 

review). 

• An ontogenic, seasonal and geographical variation in diet was observed 

(see Pinchuk et al. 2003 for review). 

• The broad spectrum of diet described for the species in its natural range 

may be a crucial factor for its success in invading new territories. 

• The information on the monkey goby diet outside its natural range is very 

limited (Biro´ 1995; Kakareko et al. 2005). 

• The purpose of our study was to define the monkey goby diet spectrum, 

feeding preferences, spatial and size related changes in diet, its diurnal 

feeding activity, as well as to predict which groups of native preys would 

be most affected by the presence of this exotic predator in a newly 

invaded location such as the Vistula River system

• The fish consumed 

insect larvae and pupae, 

crustaceans, annelids, 

gastropods and fish 

• Chironomid larvae were 

a prevalent food 

category in all sampling 

sites, followed by 

amphipod crustaceans 

at one site and by 

trichopteran larvae and 

chironomid pupae at 

another

Food 

• According to the values of the 

Ivlev’s selectivity index, the 

preferred food category were 

chironomid larvae. 

• No significant differences in diet 

were found over the 24-h cycle. 

• There was no variation among 

different fish size groups. 

• the species, due to its ability to 

use locally available food 

resources, displays a 

generalistic and highly flexible 

feeding strategy.

M. Polačik, M. Janač1,2, P. Jurajda1, Z. Adamek1, M. Ondračkova, T. Trichkova, M. Vassilev (2008): Invasive 

gobies in the Danube: how do they utilize the new environment? 

In addition to the 

Austrian and Bulgarian stretch, the 

Croatian stretch of the Danube 

(which is the non-native 

range of Neogobius spp., was 

sampled in early November 2005 

Fig. 4. The Costello’s plots of 

monkey goby (a), racer goby 

(b), bighead goby (c) and 

round goby (d). The prey 

items consumed by native 

populations are denoted by 

circles and those consumed 

by the non-native populations 

by triangles. The prey items of 

low prey – specific 

importance (< 0.2) and 

consumed with low frequency 

(< 20 %) were omitted from 

the plots. NCBDL = Nonchironomid 

benthic Dipteran 

larvae.

Maria Capova, Ivana Zlatnicka, Vladimır Kovac 

Stanislav Katina (2008): Ontogenetic variability in the external morphology 

of monkey goby, Neogobius fluviatilis (Pallas, 1814) 

and its relevance to invasion potential 

• Monkey goby has significantly smaller lower jaw length 

and maxilla length than the round and bighead gobies, 

which indicates a smaller mouth gap. 

• This demonstrates specialization of monkey goby on 

smaller diet items compared to both round and 

bighead gobies. 

• the diet of monkey goby in Slovakia is composed 

mainly from Chironomid larvae and small Crustaceans 

• the prey of bighead and round gobies also include 

bigger items, such as Molluscs, Amphipods and 

Trichoptera larvae, with bighead goby preying even on 

small fishes (Kosco et al., 2006; Adamek et al., 2007).

• Monkey goby reach their definite phenotype very early in their ontogeny 

and thus represent a strongly precocial (=specialized) species with direct 

development (Flegler-Balon, 1989). 

• The morphological differences between monkey goby and the two other 

goby species discussed in the present study also refer to its strong 

specialization to sandy substrata and smaller prey. 

• This corroborates previously reported data on habitat and items 

preferences of monkey goby (Berg, 1949; Kazancheev, 1963; Svetovidov, 

1964; Eros et al., 2005; Kosco et al., 2006; Adamek et al., 2007). 

• Therefore, it can be expected that monkey goby should not spread to new 

areas as fast as round and bighead gobies and if they do, they should be 

limited to habitats with sandy and/or sandy gravel bottom. 

• If this assumption is correct, then it follows that the potential impact of 

monkey goby on native fauna or even ecosystem is likely not to be as 

negative as it can be in the case of bighead and round gobies.

P. kessleri 

• It is present in lagoons and estuaries 

of the north-western Black Sea, near 

the Bulgarian coast, especially in 

lakes Mandra, Vaya, Varna, 

Beloslavsko 

• In the Danube River the original 

distribution of the bighead goby 

reached Vidin and was common in 

the lakes of the Danube delta. 

• It inhabits the rivers Dniester up to 

Kamianets-Podilskyi, small rivers 

Zbruch and Bystrytsia. 

• Dnieper up to Dnipropetrovsk, also in 

the Southern Bug River.

• The bighead goby was recorded as 

non-indigenous species in the Slovak 

section of the Danube River in 1996 

and until 2004, this species had the 

widest density and distribution among 

the four Gobiidae species. 

• In the Danube River basin, species is 

also mentioned as non-indigenous in 

the Tisza River. 

• In the Upper Danube it was registered 

in Austrian and German parts up to the 

City of Straubing 

• During 2000-2002 - registered in small 

streams of the Black Sea coast of 

Eastern Turkey 

• Since March 2009 the fish is registered 

in the North Sea basin, in the Waal 

River, the Netherlands 

• At the German part of the Lower 

Rhine, between the cities of Cologne 

and Rees, this species consists of 52% 

of gobies catchments in 2009

• Found usually in freshwater and brackish water 

with very low salinity (< 2 ppt); in lower rivers 

and lagoons, lakes, large rivers, harbours on rocky 

or well-vegetated bottom (reed thickets) in still 

waters as well as rapids. 

• Initial spawning at 2 years, in March to May, 

where adhesive eggs are deposited on stones, 

shells and aquatic plants; while males guard the 

eggs until hatching. 

• Feeds on crustaceans (mysids, corophiid 

amphipods) and small fish (gobies)

The prey items consumed by native populations are denoted by circles 

and those consumed by the non-native populations by triangles.

Babka gymnotrachelus 

• This goby inhabits the coasts of Turkey, the 

rivers of the Caucasus, including Inguri, 

Rioni and the rivers of Kolkhida, including 

Lake Paliastomi, Lake Suzha. 

• In the north-western Black Sea it inhabits the 

Dnieper-Bug Estuary, Dniester Estuary, near 

the Tendra sandbar and Berezan Island. 

• In the Danube River it is widspread up to 

Vidin, and lives in tributaries and lakes of 

Danube delta, including Brateş, Kahul, 

Yalpug, Katlabuh, Kitay, Razelm, etc. 

• It inhabits the Dniester River and its 

tributaries, including Zbruch, Zhvanchik, 

Smotrych, Răut, Bîc, Dubăsari Reservoir. 

• It is common in the Southern Bug River and 

in the Dnieper River as far as Kiev. It lives in 

the Kamchiya River and Lake Shablensko in 

Bulgaria. 

• In the Sea of Azov it is in Taganrog Bay and 

the Don, Aksay, Seversky Donets rivers. 

• Also inhabits the Caspian Sea, where 

presented by the subspecies Babka 

gymnotrachelus macrophthalmus.

• Occurs in brackish- and fresh-water habitats with low 

salinity (< 2 ppt); lagoons and lakes; large rivers to small, 

fast-flowing streams; on sand or mud bottom; mainly in 

well vegetated or high-complexity habitats. 

• Abundant in backwaters and still channels 

• Longevity is 4-5 years; spawns for the first time at 2 years; 

spawning season in April to June, occasionally until mid- 

August; females may repeat spawning during a season; 

usually spawns for a single season. 

• Males guard eggs until hatching; with adhesive eggs 

deposited on stones, shells and aquatic plants 

• Feeds on crustaceans (esp. Corophiid amphipods), aquatic 

insects (mostly chironomid larvae), polychaetes, also small 

fish and mollusks

• Amphipods constituted 11–70% of 

total gut content biomass and 

were found on average in 84% of 

analysed alimentary tracts. 

• The second prey types were 

chironomid larvae (16–63% of 

total food biomass; frequency 

occurrence: 61–91%), and to a 

lesser extent chironomid pupa, 

ceratopogonid larvae, oligochaets, 

dipteran imagines and copepods, 

with fish larvae found in the gut of 

eight gobies. 

• racer goby forages mainly on 

benthos and has a nocturnal 

feeding activity. 

(2005)

T. Kakareko, J. Z_ bikowski and J. Z_ ytkowicz (2005): Diet partitioning in summer of two syntopic neogobiids 

from two different habitats of the lower Vistula River, Poland 

- the diet of Neogobius species in the lower Vistula varied according to prey 

availability, which itself was associated to the character of the habitat from 

which the fish were taken.

Thank you

• In successive years its expansion seemingly stopped, but in 1993 its 

explosion-like propagation was observed in a reservoir constructed 

at the middle section of River Tisza („Tisza-tó” reservoir), as earlier 

in Lake Balaton (Harka 1993), respectively. 

• That time this appeared as isolated habitat, but later on it was 

discovered that the species was present in both the lower and 

middle reaches of the river in Serbia and Hungary (Guelmino 1994, 

Györe et al. 2001). 

• During the last decade the monkey goby expands in rivulets flowing 

into L. Balaton (Bíró & Paulovits 1994, Bíró et al. 2002), in the 

Hungarian-Croatian border-section and in River Tisza and its side 

rivers (Sallai 2002). 

• In River Danube, the species moves upstream: in 2001 it was 

collected at the Hungarian-Slovak section (Stráňai & Andreji 2001; 

Sallai 2003; Holčík et al. 2003), and in 2003 it was caught at the 

lower section of R. Raba, near to R. Danube and the Austrian border 

(G. Guti personal communication).

Neogobius fluviatilis Ponticola kessleri

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