Knipowitschia byblisia

Common name. Köyceğiz dwarf goby.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Knipowitschia in Anatolia by: ○ squamation incomplete, scales in two patches: in axillary area and on caudal region, often with a narrow naked zone behind tip of pectoral, rarely in one series along midlateral line / ○ head canals usually reduced to two short postorbital canals, anterior oculo-scapular canal present in few individuals / ○ otic transverse row tra of papillae on cheek not reaching to row b / ○ no transverse row of papillae on cheek through row d / ○ caudal symmetric. Size up to 28 mm SL.

Distribution . Türkiye: Lake Köyceğiz basin, a small stream flowing to Gökova Bay and lower Dalaman drainage.

Habitat. Fresh to brackish waters of coastal lakes and tributaries.

Biology. No data.

Conservation status. EN; appears to be declining within its very small range.

Remarks. Knipowitschia byblisia is much more abundant than K. caunosi in Lake Köyceğiz. These two species represent a molecular cluster (COI) well separated from other Knipowitschia . Within this cluster, syntopic subgroups are slightly different from each other. Fish from these subgroups all agree with the original description of K. byblisia .

Further reading. Ahnelt 2011 (description); Ahnelt 2016 (record from Marmaris).