Chornaya Gudgeon

Differs from other species of Gobio in Black and Caspian Sea basins by a short barbel reaching to or slightly in front of anterior eye margin, mature males with dusky, dark grey body and fins, and breast scaled between pectorals (Ref. 56890), scales extending forward beyond pectoral base, at least in some individuals (Ref. 59043). Other diagnostic characters include: snout length greater than postorbital distance; scales between anus and anal origin 6-9 (usually 7-8); head length 24-27% SL; head depth 14-20% SL at nape, 47-53% HL at eye; body depth 20-23% SL; head width 14-17% SL, 53-63% HL; eye diameter 5-6% SL, 2.5-3.8 times in head depth, 1.2-1.6 times in interorbital distance (at 7-10 cm SL); caudal peduncle depth 32-39% HL (Ref. 59043).

Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Analsoft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 38 - 40

Inhabits moderately flowing and stagnant section of a medium-sized stream (Ref. 56890). Water in the lower part of the stream is extracted in large quantities for irrigation and the stream is almost dry in summer (Ref. 59043).

Gobio delyamurei, also termed the Chornaya gudgeon, is a species of gudgeon, a small freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae, native to Crimea. It is considered to be critically endangered, as it lives only along a 1-km stretch in the Chornaya River, below the Chornaya Gorge. Because of water abstraction, the site is vulnerable to drying up in the summer time, particularly if climate change will further intensify the droughts.

This is a demersal fish, up to 10.4 cm long. It was described as an independent species in 2005.

Named in honor of Soviet ichthyologist Semion Lyudvigovich Delyamure, author of several papers and books on Crimean fishes.