Ponticola hircaniaensis, Zarei, Esmaeili, Kovacic & Schliewen, 2022

Ponticola hircaniaensis

Common name. Gorgan goby.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Ponticola entering freshwater in West Asia by: ○ lower jaw not or very slightly prognathous / ○ 60–71 total scales in midlateral series / ○ 19–23 predorsal scales / ○ lateral part of upper lip swollen / ○ dorsal head, lips, cheeks, predorsal area, and

Ponticola hircaniaensis ; Kaboudval drainage, Iran; 74 mm SL.

flank strongly reticulate / ○ two suborbital transverse rows below suborbital longitudinal row b / ○ pelvic disc reaching 40–60 % of distance between its origin and anus / ○ first dorsal with marginal pale orange-yellow band and dark oblique spot / ○ upper part of pectoral base with one dark-brown stripe / ○ pelvic-disc fraenum with angular lobes whose length is 1 ⁄ 6 – 1 ⁄ 2 of fraenum width at base. Size up to 92 mm SL.

Distribution. Iran: Kaboudval and Zarrin Gol in Gorgan drainage.

Habitat. Small, fast-flowing headwater streams with gravel bottoms. Not found in brackish water.

Biology. No data

Conservation status. EN; appears to be declining within its very small range.

Remarks. This species has hybridised with P. gorlap and mtDNA from P. gorlap is present in individuals from the only known population.

Further reading. Zarei et al. 2022b (description).

Ponticola iranicus ; Sefid drainage, Iran; ~ 80 mm SL.