Ponticola gorlap (Iljin 1949)

Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash, Ghanavi, Hamid Reza & Doadrio, Ignacio, 2020, Fig. 4 in Fig. 4 in Fig. 3 in Fig. 21. Sesarmops mora n in Paralbunea dayriti, Zoological Studies 59 (21), pp. 1-303 : 242-243

Ponticola gorlap (Iljin 1949) – Native ( Fig. 445)

Neogobius kessleri gorlap Iljin [B. S.] in Berg 1949: 1091; Type locality: Caspian Sea and tributary rivers. Syntypes: not at ZIN.

Common name: Gav mahi sar bozorg, En: Caspian bighead goby.

Diagnosis: Distinguished by pelvic anterior membrane lateral lobes large, at least 20% width of rear edge. Head oblate, always wider than deep. Cheeks large, upper lip thick at least 60% lateral preorbital width. Cheeks, upper lips, and pectoral bases with reticulations or mottling. First dorsal fin with 3–4 lines of small black blotch, lacking clear dark band, upper lip thin.

Meristic characters: D 1: VI–VII (VI), D 2: I 15–20 (18), A: I 11–16 (13–15), P: 17–22, LS: 54–76, TV: 33–35.

Distribution: Caspian Sea basin ( Fig. 446). Reported from the southeast Caspian Sea, the southwest Caspian Sea and the south-central Caspian Sea.

Taxonomy: Pinchuk (1977) placed gorlap in Neogobius kessleri as subspecies, Kottelat (1997) placed in Neogobius but Neilson and Stepien (2009) transferred to Ponticola .

Conservation: IUCN: Least Concern (Freyhof and Kottelat 2008ab).