Benthophilus ragimovi Boldyrev & Bogutskaya, 2004

Zarei, Fatah, Esmaeili, Hamid Reza, Abbasi, Keyvan, Kovačić, Marcelo, Schliewen, Ulrich K. & Stepien, Carol A., 2022, Gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae) of the oldest and deepest Caspian Sea sub-basin: an evidence-based annotated checklist and a key for species identification, Zootaxa 5190 (2), pp. 151-193 : 170

18. Benthophilus ragimovi Boldyrev & Bogutskaya, 2004 , Ragimov’s Tadpole Goby

Benthophilus ragimovi Boldyrev & Bogutskaya, 2004: 132 , fig. 2; type locality: between Yasma and Kilyazi, Azerbaijan, depth 50 m; holotype: ZIN 53216, male, 67.8 mm SL, paratypes : ZIAZ 93 (8). 467 (6); ZIN 23126 (3), 53217 (1), 53218 (7), 53219 (4), plus additional non-type material .

Etymology: Named after D. B. Ragimov, an authority of Caspian Sea gobiid fishes.

Distribution and habitat: West coast of the Middle and South Caspian Sea from Chechen Island ( Russia) south to the Astara region ( Azerbaijan) ( Fig. 11C ). No records from Iran, but based on geographic proximity to its recording site in Azerbaijan (Astara), we predict its presence in the coastal waters of Gilan. Occurs at salinities 11.0–13.2 ‰. A deep water species (depths 30–200 m), spawning at 10–20 m ( Boldyrev & Bogutskaya 2007).

IUCN: LC ( Bogutskaya 2021).

Figures

FIGURE 11. Distribution of (A) Benthophilus granulosus, Benthophilus leptorhynchus, Benthophilus grimmi and Benthophilus svetovidovi, (B) Benthophilus leobergius, Benthophilus microcephalus and Benthophilus kessleri and (C) Benthophilus mahmudbejovi, Benthophilus ragimovi and Benthophilus spinosus.