Gobiidae
Creators: name: Kovačić, Marcelo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Actinopterygii
Perciformes
Gobiidae

description: Key to the species of Gobiidae of the Mediterranean Sea
Key is limited to adult and juveniles with scales already formed, having a lateral line system with enclosed head canals and sensory pores and papillae present. This key will not work with postlarvae and early juveniles with these characters undeveloped or in some early juveniles under development. The alien species marked with *.
1a Head canals with additional pore σ¹ on snout (Fig. 6)............................................................. 2
1b Head canals without pore σ¹ on snout..........................................................................3
2a (1) Longitudinal scale count 75–80 (Fig. 2)..................................................... Oxyurichthys petersi *
2b (1) Longitudinal scale count 51–56 (Fig. 2)............................................... Tridentiger trigonocephalus *
3a (1) Single, dorsal fin, dorsal and anal fins confluent with caudal fin (Fig. 7)............................ Trypauchen vagina *
3b (1) Two dorsal fins, if the first fin reduced, the second fin and anal fin clearly distinct from caudal fin...................... 4
4a (3) First dorsal fin with 3 or fewer spines, or absent (Fig.8)...................................... Crystallogobius linearis
4b (3) First dorsal fin with 4 or more spines......................................................................5.
5a (4) Suborbital sensory papillae with row a below eye present (Fig. 1b)............................................... 6
5b (4) Suborbital sensory papillae without row a below eye (Fig. 9)................................................... 38
6a (5) Pelvic disc without anterior transverse membrane (frenum) (Fig. 5)............................................... 7
6b (5) Pelvic disc with anterior transverse membrane (Fig. 5)........................................................ 10
7a (6) Head canals and pores absent (Fig. 10d).................................................................... 8
7b (6) Head canals and pores present (Fig. 10 a-c)...................................................................9
8a (7) Snout length slightly greater than eye diameter, type specimens snout length 1.05 and 1.06 in eye diameter (Fig. 11a)............................................................................................... Lebetus patzneri
8b (7) Snout length clearly less than eye diameter, snouth length about 3/4 of eye diameter (Fig. 11b).............. Lebetus guilleti
9a (7) Preopercular head canal present (Fig. 10b)................................................... .. Speleogobius llorisi
9b (7) Preopercular head canal absent (Fig. 10c).................................................. Speleogobius trigloides
10a (6) Head canals and pores absent (Fig. 10d).................................................................. 11
10b (6) Head canals and pores present (Fig. 10 a-c)................................................................ 14
11a (10) Suborbital transverse rows of sensory papillae present (Fig. 1b)....................................... Aphia minuta
11b (10) Suborbital transverse rows of sensory papillae absent, suborbital rows only longitudinal (Fig. 12).....................12
12a (11) Predorsal area naked (Fig. 3)........................................................... Lesueurigobius suerii
12b (11) Predorsal area scaled (Fig. 3).......................................................................... 13
13a (12) Pectoral fin always 22.............................................................. .. Lesueurigobius sanzoi
13b (12) Pectoral fin 18–19................................................................... Lesueurigobius friesii
14a (10) Head canals with numerous extra pores (Fig. 13).......................................................... 15
14b (10) Head canals with usual number (22 or fewer) of pores (Fig. 10)................................................16
15a (14) Second dorsal-fin I,8–9; anal-fin I,9.............................................. Deltentosteus quadrimaculatus
15b (14) Second dorsal-fin I,10–11; anal-fin I,10.............................................. Deltentosteus collonianus
16a (15) Anterior oculoscapular head canal with pore α large, elongate, slit like, extending posteriorly from the posteroventral margin of the eye (Fig. 14).................................................................... Aulopareia unicolor *
16b (15) Anterior oculoscapular head canal with pore α rounded or oval............................................... 17
17a (14) Suborbital transverse rows a and c with multiple irregular transversal proliferations (Fig. 15)................................................................................................... .. Papillogobius melanobranchus *
17b (14) Suborbital transverse rows a and c single longitudinal rows or with regular transversal rows (Figs. 1b and 16).......... 18
18a (17) Suborbital transverse rows of sensory papillae absent, suborbital rows only longitudinal (Figs. 16 and 17)............. 19
18b (17) Suborbital transverse rows of sensory papillae present (Fig. 1b).............................................. 23
19a (18) Second dorsal-fin I,15–16; anal-fin I,16–17............................................. Vanderhorstia mertensi *
19b (18) Second dorsal-fin I,7–11; anal-fin I,6–12................................................................ 20
20b (19) Suborbital sensory papillae row b ends anteriorly below anterior edge of eye (Fig. 17).............. Silhouettea aegyptia *
20a (19) Suborbital sensory papillae row b ends anteriorly behind vertical to posterior edge of pupil (Fig. 16)................. 21
21a (20) Height of anterior membrane (frenum) of pelvic fin in midline 1/3–1/2 of length of pelvic spine (Fig. 5)..... Buenia affinis
21b (20) Height of anterior membrane (frenum) of pelvic fin in midline 1/6 length of spine (Fig. 5)......................... 22
22a (21) Pectoral fin 16........................................................................... Buenia massutii
22b (21) Pectoral fin 18......................................................................... Buenia lombartei
23a (18) Anterior oculoscapular head canal ends in interorbit with paired pore λ (Fig. 18)................................. 24
23b (18) Anterior oculoscapular head canal extends on snout, to paired pore σ, pora λ single (Fig. 10 a-c)..................... 26
24a (23) Longitudinal scale count 30 (Fig. 2)........................................................ Pseudaphya ferreri
24b (23) Longitudinal scale count>30 (Fig. 2)................................................................... 25
25a (24) Height of anterior membrane (frenum) of pelvic fin in midline 2/3–3/4 of spine (Fig. 5)......... Knipowitschia caucasica
25b (24) Height of anterior membrane (frenum) of pelvic fin in midline 1/2 length of spine (Fig. 5)........ Knipowitschia panizzae
26a (23) Cheek and opercle scaled (Fig. 3)........................................................ .. Hazeus ingressus *
26b (23) Cheek and opercle naked (Fig. 3)....................................................................... 27
27a (26) Suborbital sensory papillae row a without transversal rows or with only one or two transversal rows (Fig. 1b)...........28
27b (26) Suborbital sensory papillae row a with several to many transversal rows (Fig. 19).................................36
28a (27) Second dorsal fin base naked at least along first three rays (Fig. 3)........................... Ninnigobius canestrinii
28b (27) The second dorsal fin base completely scaled (Fig. 3)....................................................... 29
29a (28) Fewer than four suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae having four or more papillae in the row (Fig. 1b)...30
29b (28) Four or more suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae having four or more papillae in the row (Fig. 1b)…34
30a (29) Pectoral fin 14–16.....................................................................................31
30b (29) Pectoral fin 17–20.................................................................................... 33
31a (30) Pore ω of anterior oculoscapular head canal present (Fig. 1a)................................ Pomatoschistus quagga
31b (30) Pore ω of anterior oculoscapular head canal absent (Fig. 1a)................................................... 32
32a (31) Pore δ of anterior oculoscapular head canal present (Fig. 1a)…................................ Pomatoschistus bathi
32b (31) Pore δ of anterior oculoscapular head canal absent (Fig. 1a)…................................ Pomatoschistus nanus
33a (30) Longitudinal scale count 30–36 (Fig. 2).............................................. .. Pomatoschistus tortonesei
33b (30) Longitudinal scale count 38–46 (Fig. 2)................................................. Pomatoschistus knerii
34a (29) The first dorsal fin base naked posteriorly to the last spine (Fig. 3)…......................... Pomatoschistus microps
34b (29) The first dorsal fin base scaled at least in part (Fig. 3)….................................................... 35
35a (34) The first dorsal fin base scaled backwards to the last spine (Fig. 3), rear edge of plevic fin anterior membrane (frenum) crenate to villose...................................................................... Pomatoschistus marmoratus
35b (34) The first dorsal fin base scaled to spine III–IV (Fig. 3), rear edge of pelvic fin anterior membrane (frenum) smooth....................................................................................... Pomatoschistus adriaticus
36a (27) Longitudinal scale count 32–37 (Fig. 2)................................................. Pomatoschistus anatoliae
36b (27) Longitudinal scale count 55–75 (Fig. 2)................................................................... 37
37a (36) Suborbital sensory papillae row b ends anteriorly below anterior part of eye, only most posterior suborbital transverse row c extending below row d (Fig. 1b)…..................................................... Pomatoschistus minutus
37b (36) Suborbital sensory papillae row b ends anteriorly below posterior part of eye, three suborbital transverse rows, including most posterior row c extending below row d (Fig. 1b)........................................ Pomatoschistus norvegicus
38a (5) Head laterally compressed, eye extends high above the dorsal profile from lateral view (Fig. 20)............................................................................................... Cryptocentrus caeruleopunctatus *
38b (5) Head not laterally compressed, eye within dorsal profile or eye slightly extends above the profile from lateral view....... 39
39a (38) All three head canals present (Fig. 10a).................................................................. 40
39b (38) At least one of three head canals absent (Fig. 10b and c)..................................................... 61
40a (39) Anterior dorsal row g of sensory papillae ends anterior to lateral end of row o (Fig. 21)............................ 41
40b (39) Anterior dorsal row g of sensory papillae ends behind or on lateral end of row o (Fig. 1b).......................... 42
41a (40) Longitudinal scale count 27–31 (Fig. 2)................................................. Thorogobius macrolepis
41b (40) Longitudinal scale count 33–42 (Fig. 2)................................................ Thorogobius ephippiatus
42a (40) Seven suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae (Fig. 1b)............................................... 43
42b (40) Six suborbital transverse row c of sensory papillae (Fig. 1b)................................................... 46
43a (41) Predorsal area naked (Fig. 3)…........................................................................ 44
43b (41) Predorsal area scaled (Fig. 3)…........................................................................ 45
44a (43) Two suborbital transverse rows below row b (Fig. 1b)............................................. Zebrus zebrus
44b (43) Single suborbital transverse row below row b (Fig. 1b).................................... Coryogalops ocheticus *
45a (43) First dorsal fin without large black spot in posterior part..................................... Gobius ophiocephalus
45b (43) First dorsal fin with large black spot in posterior part (Fig. 22)............................. Neogobius melanostomus
46a (42) Anterior oculoscapular head canal with short side branch to pore α below eye (Fig. 23)............................ 47
46b (42) Anterior oculoscapular head canal with pore α at rear of orbit (Fig. 1a)......................................... 48
47a (46) Longitudinal scale count 50–57 (Fig. 2)..................................................... Gobius paganellus
47b (46) Longitudinal scale count 38–40 (Fig. 2).......................................................... Gobius ater
48a (46) Oculoscapular row x¹ of sensory papillae extending forward to, or before, pore β (Fig. 24)............ Gobius cruentatus
48b (46) Oculoscapular row x¹ of sensory papillae ending forward behind pore β ........................................ 49
49a (48) Longitudinal scale count ≥50 (Fig. 2).................................................................... 50
49b (48) Longitudinal scale count <50 (Fig. 2)................................................................... 54
50a (49) Pelvic disc complete, rounded or truncate i.e. posterior edge straight or convex (Fig. 4)............................ 51
50b (49) Pelvic disc emarginate i.e. posterior edge concave (Fig. 4)................................................... 53
51a (50) Pelvic disc anterior membrane (frenum) with lateral lobes (Fig. 5)................................... Gobius cobitis
51b (50) Pelvic disc anterior membrane (frenum) without lateral lobes (Fig. 5).......................................... 52
52a (51) Two rows of elongated spots present on cheek without dots between them at the middle of the cheek, the lower row starting anteriorly at the angle of mouth and the upper row anteriorly starting at upper lips (Fig. 25a)............ Gobius bucchichi
52b (51) The spots on cheek are irregularly scattered or, if rows visible, then additional spots or a third row present across the middle of the cheek between the lower row starting anteriorly at the angle of mouth and the upper row that touches ventral margin eye (Fig. 25b)............................................................................. Gobius incognitus
53a (50) Anterior dorsal row g of sensory papillae ends on lateral end of row o (Fig. 1b)................... Gobius kolombatovici
53b (50) Anterior dorsal row g of sensory papillae ends behind lateral end of row o (Fig. 1b)................... Gobius geniporus
54a (49) Predorsal area naked (Fig. 3)................................................................. Gobius roulei
54b (49) Predorsal area scaled (Fig. 3).......................................................................... 55
55a (54) Suborbital row d continous (Fig. 1b)............................................................ Gobius niger
55b (53) Suborbital row d divided (Fig. 26)...................................................................... 56
56a (55) Body and head whitish with broad, black longitudinal stripe present even in preserved specimens (Fig. 27).. Gobius vittatus
56b (55) Body and head without broad, black longitudinal stripe..................................................... 57
57a (56) Pelvic disc complete or no more than 1/8 emarginate (Fig. 4)................................................. 58
57b (56) Pelvic disc emarginate more than 1/8 (Fig. 4)............................................................. 59
58a (57) Pectoral fin 16–17......................................................................... Gobius couchi
58b (57) Pectoral fin 19–21...................................................................... Gobius gasteveni
59a (57) Pelvic disc emarginate more than 1/3 (Fig. 4)................................................... Gobius auratus
59b (57) Pelvic disc emarginate less than 1/3 (Fig. 4).............................................................. 60
60a (59) Longitudinal scale count <46 (Fig. 2).......................................................... Gobius fallax
60b (59) Longitudinal scale count>44 (Fig. 2).................................................. Gobius xanthocephalus
61a (39) Preopercular head canal absent (Fig. 10c)................................................................ 62
61b (39) Preopercular head canal present (Fig. 10b)............................................................... 64
62a (61) Longitudinal scale count 65–70 (Fig. 2).................................................... Didogobius bentuvii
62b (61) Longitudinal scale count 27–37 (Fig. 2)...................................................................63
63a (62) Six suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae (the last row near pore α as single papilla) (Fig. 1b)... Corcyrogobius liechtensteini
63b (62) Seven suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae (the last row near pore α as single papilla)(Fig. 1b)... Gammogobius steinitzi
64a (61) Head pores large e.g. pores α, β, ρ larger or about same size as their interspaces (Fig. 28)......... .. Gymnesigobius medits
64b (61) Head pores small e.g. pores α, β, ρ clearly smaller than their interspaces........................................ 65
65a (64) Pelvic fins almost completely separated (Fig. 4)........................................................... 66
65b (64) Pelvic fins united in pelvic disc (Fig. 4).................................................................. 69
66a (65) Four suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae (Fig. 1b)................................ Hetereleotris vulgaris *
66b (65) Six or seven suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae (the last row near pore α as single papilla) (Fig. 1b .........67
67a (66) Six suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae (the last row near pore α as single papilla) (Fig. 1b)................................................................................................ .. Odondebuenia balearica
67b (66) Seven suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae (the last row near pore α as a single papilla) (Fig. 1b)........... 68
68a (66) Second dorsal-fin I,11; anal-fin I,10..................................................... Vanneaugobius pruvoti
68b (66) Second dorsal-fin I,10; anal-fin I,9.................................................... Vanneaugobius dollfusi
69a (65) Interorbital transverse sensory papillae row p present (Fig. 29).......................... Millerigobius macrocephalus
69b (65) Interorbital transverse sensory papillae row p absent....................................................... 70
70a (69) Six suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae (the last row near pore α as single papilla) (Fig. 1b)............... 71
70b (69) Seven suborbital transverse rows c of sensory papillae (Fig. 1b)...............................................72
71a (70) Longitudinal scale count 28–31 (Fig. 2)................................................. .. Didogobius splechtnai
71b (70) Longitudinal scale count 55–56 (Fig. 2).................................................. Didogobius schlieweni
72a (70) Longitudinal scale count 40–52 (Fig. 2)................................................. Chromogobius zebratus
72b (70) Longitudinal scale count 56–72 (Fig. 2)............................................ Chromogobius quadrivittatus
description: Published as part of Kovačić, Marcelo, 2020, Checklist of gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae) of the Mediterranean Sea and a key for species identification, pp. 75-101 in Zootaxa 4877 (1) on pages 82-85, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4877.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/4423777