Syrman Goby
Neogobius syrman (Nordmann, 1840)
Order Perciformes
Family Gobiidae
Conservation status: in Bulgaria: Extinct EX; International: IUCN [DD]; BeC-III.
General distribution. A Ponto-Caspian relict species. It occurs in lakes and estuaries in the northwestern part of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, as well as in the northern part of the Caspian Sea.
Distribution and abundance in Bulgaria. In the past, it was reported only for the Burgas lakes Mandrensko Ezero and Vaya [1, 2, 3]. It was also recorded in the mouths of the rivers Fakiyska and Izvorska [4, 5]. There has been no information about its finding in the last 30 years.
Habitats. The main habitats of the species are coastal fresh water and brackish lakes, rivers, estuaries and sea shallows (at depths of up to 6 m, including sea bays).
Biology. It reaches sexual maturity during the second year. Females spawn repeatedly from March to the beginning of May. Eggs are laid in nests under and between stones built and guarded by the males. Fecundity is in the range between 350 and 1 500 eggs. The species feeds on fish eggs, crustaceans, mollusks, insect larvae and small fish [6, 7].
Similar species. A total of 23 gobiid species are known in Bulgaria. The Syrman goby can be differentiated by its oval head and large mouth with upper jaw longer than lower jaw.
Negative factors. The main factors which caused the disappearance of the species were: loss (degradation) of habitats related to changes in the hydrological regime of the Burgas lakes; water pollution; infrastructural development; competition with non-indigenous fish species introduced.
Conservation measures taken. The species was listed in the Red Data Book of Bulgaria (1985) and in the Red Book of the Black Sea (1999).
References. 1. Stojanov et al., 1963; 2. Gheorghiev, 1966; 3. Gheorghiev, 1967; 4. Pechev, 1970; 5. Karapetkova, 1976; 6. Berg, 1949; 7. Svetovidov, 1964.
Authors: Tihomir Stefanov, Yanaki Sivkov, Teodora Trichkova
