European gudgeon (Gobio gobio)

General data

Main name: European gudgeon
Climates: Temperate, Continental, Mountain
Habitat: Freshwater
Native: Europe
Distribution: Danube, Volga, Rhine, Elbe, Meuse (Maas), Rhone, View all... Dniester, Dnieper, River Thames, River Wye, Daugava (Western Dvina), Garonne, Northern Dvina, Neman (Nemunas), Lielupe, Venta, Trent, Great Ouse, River Clyde, Weser, Bristol Avon

Classification

Description

European gudgeon, or the Common gudgeon, is a species of fish in the family Cyprinidae. This small fish is widely distributed in fresh-water streams and lakes across central and temperate Eurasia. The gudgeon inhabits various fresh-water habitats with sandy bottoms. It is a gregarious species, and feeds on benthic invertebrates. Its life span is up to five years. Gudgeons are usually smaller than 12 cm, rarely over 15 cm long. The common name gudgeon may also refer to other species of fish. Description The gudgeon has a long, slender, rounded body and is typically 9–13 cm (3.5–5.1 in) long, but can reach up to 21 cm (8.3 in). It has short dorsal and anal fins that do not have serrated rays. There is a labial barbel at each corner of its mouth. It has two rows of pharyngeal teeth, conical, and slightly curved at the tip. Its head is wide and flattened, with a rather obtuse snout, the lower jaw being shorter than the upper one. It has relatively large scales and there are 40 to 45 of these along the lateral line. Its swimming bladder is large. Usually greenish-brown above and silvery on the sides, this fish has a row of six to twelve faint dark blotches running along the flank. It has a white underside, and its pectoral, ventral, and anal fins are of a grayish-white color with a brownish tinge. The dorsal and caudal fins are pale brown with darker spots. Distribution and habitat The European gudgeon is present in freshwater systems that drain into the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and Baltic Sea basins. These drainages include the Loire drainage and the drainages further east, the eastern Great Britain and Rhône drainages, the upper Danube and middle and upper Dniestr, the Bug and Dniepr drainages in the Black Sea basin. It is unclear how far into Asia its range extends. It is typically found in lakes, rivers and streams of all sizes that have sandy or gravelly bottoms. Behavior The gudgeon moves in shoals over sandy and gravelly bottoms, feeding on worms, aquatic insects and larvae, small mollusks, ova, and fry. It is normally active during the day. It is capable of emitting squeaking sounds, which are believed to be a means of communication between individuals. It breeds in shallow waters over stones. Eggs are laid from April to August, when water temperatures are above 13 °C. The eggs are released above the substrate and drift with the current becoming attached to the bottom. The larvae and juveniles feed on detritus on the bottom. The fingerlings grow to some 12 cm (4.7 in) in the first year and this fish can live for up to five years. The species is much valued for its delicate flavour. Source: Wikipedia.org

Taxonomy of Fishes

Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
- Coelacanthi - Lobe-finned fishes->
- Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes->
  - Perciformes - Perches->
  - Cypriniformes - Carps->
    
    Cyprinidae - Carps->
    
    Gobionidae - Gudgeons->
    
    Gobio - Gudgeons->
    
    Danube gudgeon (Gobio obtusirostis)
    
    Bulgarian gudgeon (Gobio bulgaricus)
    
    European gudgeon (Gobio gobio)
    
    Ohrid gudgeon (Gobio ohridanus)
    
    Languedoc Gudgeon (Gobio occitaniae)
    
    Gobio acutipinnatus (Gobio acutipinnatus)
    
    Auvergne gudgeon (Gobio alverniae)
    
    Gobio artvinicus (Gobio artvinicus)
    
    Eyilikler gudgeon (Gobio battalgilae)
    
    Don gudgeon (Gobio brevicirris)
    
    Carpathian gudgeon (Gobio carpathicus)
    
    Gobio caucasicus (Gobio caucasicus)
    
    Gobio coriparoides (Gobio coriparoides)
    
    Siberian gudgeon (Gobio cynocephalus)
    
    Gobio delyamurei (Gobio delyamurei)
    
    Thessaly gudgeon (Gobio feraeensis)
    
    Fushun gudgeon (Gobio fushunensis)
    
    Cappadocian gudgeon (Gobio gymnostethus)
    
    Anatolian gudgeon (Gobio hettitorum)
    
    Caspian gudgeon (Gobio holurus)
    
    Gobio huanghensis (Gobio huanghensis)
    
    Cihanbeyli gudgeon (Gobio insuyanus)
    
    Eber gudgeon (Gobio intermedius)
    
    Gobio kizilirmakensis (Gobio kizilirmakensis)
    
    Varna gudgeon (Gobio kovatschevi)
    
    Salgir gudgeon (Gobio krymensis)
    
    Gobio kubanicus (Gobio kubanicus)
    
    Gobio lingyuanensis (Gobio lingyuanensis)
    
    Gobio lozanoi (Gobio lozanoi)
    
    Gobio macrocephalus (Gobio macrocephalus)
    
    Isikli gudgeon (Gobio maeandricus)
    
    Gobio meridionalis (Gobio meridionalis)
    
    Beysehir gudgeon (Gobio microlepidotus)
    
    Gobio obtusirostris (Gobio obtusirostris)
    
    Gobio rivuloides (Gobio rivuloides)
    
    Sakarya Gudgeon (Gobio sakaryaensis)
    
    Ukrainian gudgeon (Gobio sarmaticus)
    
    Gobio sibiricus (Gobio sibiricus)
    
    Skadar gudgeon (Gobio skadarensis)
    
    Soldatov’s gudgeon (Gobio soldatovi)
    
    Gobio volgensis (Gobio volgensis)
    
    Romanogobio - Gudgeons->
    
    Pseudorasbora - Topmouth gudgeons->
    
    Pungtungia - Eastern Asian gudgeons->
    
    Abbottina - Abbottina->
    
    Acanthogobio - Acanthogobio->
    
    Belligobio - Belligobio->
    
    Biwia - Biwia->
    
    Coreius - Coreius->
    
    Coreoleuciscus - Coreoleuciscus->
    
    Gnathopogon - Gnathopogon->
    
    Gobiobotia - Gobiobotia->
    
    Gobiocypris - Gobiocypris->
    
    Hemibarbus - Hemibarbus->
    
    Mesogobio - Mesogobio->
    
    Ladislavia - Ladislavia->
    
    Microphysogobio - Microphysogobio->
    
    Paraleucogobio - Paraleucogobio->
    
    Paracanthobrama - Paracanthobrama->
    
    Parasqualidus - Parasqualidus->
    
    Rhinogobio - Rhinogobio->
    
    Placogobio - Placogobio->
    
    Platysmacheilus - Platysmacheilus->
    
    Pseudogobio - Pseudogobio->
    
    Pseudopungtungia - Pseudopungtungia->
    
    Sarcocheilichthys - Sarcocheilichthys->
    
    Saurogobio - Saurogobio->
    
    Squalidus - Squalidus->
    
    Xenophysogobio - Xenophysogobio->
    
    Tincidae - Tench->
    
    Cobitidae - True loaches->
    
    Acheilognathidae - Bitterling-like cyprinids->
    
    Leuciscidae - Chub family->
    
    Nemacheilidae - Stone loaches->
    
    Xenocyprididae - East Asian minnows->
    
    Catostomidae - Suckers->
    
    Leptobarbidae - Cigar barbs->
    
    Balitoridae - River loaches->
    
    Barbuccidae - Fire-eyed loaches->
    
    Botiidae - Pointface loaches->
    
    Danionidae - Danios->
    
    Ellopostomatidae - Square-head loaches->
    
    Gastromyzontidae - Hillstream loaches->
    
    Gyrinocheilidae - Algae eaters->
    
    Paedocyprididae - Tiny carps->
    
    Psilorhynchidae - Mountain carps->
    
    Serpenticobitidae - Snake loaches->
    
    Sundadanionidae - Tiny danios->
    
    Tanichthyidae - Mountain minnows->
    
    Vaillantellidae - Longfin loaches->
  - Esociformes - Pikes->
  - Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
  - Siluriformes - Catfishes->
  - Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
  - Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
  - Gadiformes - Cods->
  - Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
  - Clupeiformes - Herrings->
  - Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
  - Gobiiformes - Gobies->
  - Mugiliformes - Mullets->
  - Carangiformes - Jacks->
  - Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
  - Labriformes - Wrasses->
  - Scombriformes - Mackerels->
  - Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
  - Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
  - Aulopiformes - Grinners->
  - Blenniiformes - Blennies->
  - Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
  - Osmeriformes - Smelts->
  - Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
  - Cichliformes - Cichlids->
  - Characiformes - Characins->
  - Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
  - Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
  - Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
  - Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
  - Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
  - Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
  - Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
  - Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
  - Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
  - Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
  - Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
  - Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
  - Zeiformes - Dories->
  - Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
  - Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
  - Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
  - Lampriformes - Lamprids->
  - Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
  - Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
  - Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
  - Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
  - Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
  - Atheriniformes - Silversides->
  - Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
  - Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
  - Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
  - Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
  - Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
  - Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
  - Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
  - Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
  - Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
  - Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
  - Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
  - Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
  - Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
  - Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
  - Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
  - Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
  - Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
- Cladistii - Bichirs->
- Dipneusti - Lungfishes->
- Chondrostei - Sturgeons->
- Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
Agnatha - Jawless fishes->