''Knipowitschia croatica'', the Neretva dwarf goby, is a species of fresh water ray-finned fish from the family Gobiidae. It is endemic to the western Balkans occurring in the Neretva drainage in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Croatia in the Matica drainage, Neretva springs and

Baćina lakes The Baćina lakes ( hr, Baćinska jezera) are located in Dalmatia, Croatia. The lakes are named after the inland town of Baćina, Croatia, Baćina close to the port city of Ploče. The lakes are part of a picturesque landscape and surrounded by mou ...

. This species can reach a length of SL. The Neretva dwarf goby is found in clear

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

ic springs, lakes, streams with slow currents and smaller rivers. Their lifespan is less than 2 years. Spawning occurs I February after the first winter, the males defend the eggs which are placed in cavities beneath stones, plant material or mollusc shells. The juveniles are pelagic while the adults are

benthic The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...

. In the summer months under drought conditions, this species may seek sanctuary in subterranean waterbodies. It is threatened by eutrophication, water pollution and abstraction and the alteration of its habitat, the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

therefore classify its conservation status as Near Threatened.

References

Neretva dwarf goby Freshwater fish of Europe Endemic fauna of the Balkans Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Fish described in 1996 Endemic fish of the Neretva basin Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN Fish of Bosnia and Herzegovina {{Gobiidae-stub