Caucasian dwarf goby (Knipowitschia caucasica)

General data
- Main name: Caucasian dwarf goby
- Climates: Subtropical
- Habitat: Amfidromous
- Native: Europe, Asia
- Distribution: Mediterranean Sea, Danube, Black sea, Adriatic Sea, Caspian Sea, Ural, View all... Bojana, Drin, Haliacmon, Sea of Azov, Dniester, Dnieper
Classification
- Genus: Knipowitschia - Knipowitsch gobies
- Family: Gobiidae - Gobies
- Order: Gobiiformes - Gobies
- Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
- Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes
Description
Knipowitschia caucasica, the Caucasian dwarf goby, is a species of goby native to marine, fresh and brackish waters along the coasts of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, the Caspian Sea and the Aegean Sea and to the Haliacmon drainage of Greece. It inhabits shallow waters (0 to 2 metres (0.0 to 6.6 ft)) with plentiful weed growth where it can find its prey consisting of small crustaceans, the larvae of chironomids and the larvae of the mussel Dreissena polymorpha. Spawning takes place after their first winter with the eggs being deposited onto the roof of a cavity formed by rocks, shells or plant materials. The male will remain to defend the eggs. This species can reach a length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in) TL