Ponticola alasanicus, Epitashvili, Japoshvili & Mumladze, 2023

Ponticola alasanicus

Common name. Alazani goby.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Ponticola entering freshwater in West Asia by: ● no suborbital transverse rows below suborbital longitudinal row b /○pelvic-disc fraenum with small, rounded lobes, whose length is less than 1 ⁄ 6 of fraenum width at base / ○ lower jaw not or very slightly prognathous / ○ 48–55 total scales in midlateral series / ○ second dorsal usually with 15–16½ branched rays / ○ anal with 10–12½ branched rays / ○ lateral part of upper lip distinctively swollen / ○ dorsal head, lips, cheeks and predorsal plain brown / ○ flank very slightly reticulate / ○ pelvic disc not reaching anus / ○ pelvic-disc fraenum with angular lobes whose length is 1 ⁄ 6 – 1 ⁄ 2 of fraenum width at base. Size up to 74 mm SL.

Distribution. Georgia: Alazani in upper Kura drainage.

Habitat. Lowland rivers and marshes with sand bottoms. Often found near submerged trees and roots. Not found in brackish water.

Biology. Spawns May–June. Feeds on aquatic invertebrates. Conservation status. NE; due to the very poor knowledge about this recently described species.

Further reading. Epitashvili et al. 2023 (description).