The Benthophilinae are a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

gobies Gobiidae or gobies is a family of bony fish in the order Gobiiformes, one of the largest fish families comprising more than 2,000 species in more than 200 genera. Most of gobiid fish are relatively small, typically less than in length, and the ...

endemic to the Ponto-Caspian region (including the Marmara,

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

Azov Azov (russian: Азов), previously known as Azak, is a town in Rostov Oblast, Russia, situated on the Don River just from the Sea of Azov, which derives its name from the town. Population: History Early settlements in the vicinity The mo ...

Caspian Caspian can refer to: *The Caspian Sea *The Caspian Depression, surrounding the northern part of the Caspian Sea *The Caspians, the ancient people living near the Caspian Sea *Caspian languages, collection of languages and dialects of Caspian peopl ...

, and

Aral Sea The Aral Sea ( ; kk, Арал теңізі, Aral teñızı; uz, Орол денгизи, Orol dengizi; kaa, Арал теңизи, Aral teńizi; russian: Аральское море, Aral'skoye more) was an endorheic basin, endorheic lake lyi ...

s). The subfamily includes about 50 species. The representatives of the subfamily have fused pelvic fins and elongated dorsal and anal fins. They are distinguished from the closely related subfamily

Gobiinae True gobies were a subfamily, the Gobiinae, of the goby family Gobiidae, although the 5th edition of the '' Fishes of the World'' does not subdivide the Gobiidae into subfamilies. They are found in all oceans and a few rivers and lakes, but mos ...

by the absence of a

swimbladder The swim bladder, gas bladder, fish maw, or air bladder is an internal gas-filled organ that contributes to the ability of many bony fish (but not cartilaginous fish) to control their buoyancy, and thus to stay at their current water depth w ...

in adults and location of the uppermost rays of the

pectoral fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as ...

s within the

fin A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fin ...

membrane. The

Catalog of Fishes Catalog of Fishes is a comprehensive on-line database and reference work on the scientific names of fish species and genera. It is global in its scope and is hosted by the California Academy of Sciences. It has been compiled and is continuously up ...

still considers these fishes as belonging to the subfamily

Systematics of the subfamily

Tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

Benthophilini ** '' Anatirostrum'' ** '' Benthophiloides'' ** '' Benthophilus'' (

type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearing type of a nominal f ...

) ** '' Caspiosoma'' *

Neogobiini ** '' Neogobius'' (type genus) *

Ponticolini ** ''

Babka A babka is a sweet braided bread (not a cake) which originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. It is popular in Israel (often referred to as simply a yeast cake: ) and in the Jewish diaspora. It is prepared with a yeast-leavened ...

'' ** ''

Mesogobius ''Mesogobius'' is one of the genera of benthophiline gobiid fishes native to the basins of the Black and Caspian Seas. Species There are two or three recognized species in this genus:.Brian W. CoadFreshwater Fishes of Iran(accessed 18 Feb 201 ...

'' ** '' Ponticola'' (type genus) ** ''

Proterorhinus ''Proterorhinus'' is a genus of fishes, known as the tubenose gobies. These gobies, gobiid fish are native to Eurasia where they occur in the region of the Caspian Sea, Caspian and Black Sea, Black seas, inhabiting marine, brackish and fresh wate ...

''Neilson M.E., Stepien C.A. (2009) Escape from the Ponto-Caspian: Evolution and biogeography of an endemic goby species flock (Benthophilinae: Gobiidae: Teleostei). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 52(1): 84-10

/ref>

References

External links

Neogobiin research at the University of Toledo, Ohio
Research project at U Toledo Benthophilinae, Gobiidae {{Gobiidae-stub