Diversity of gobioid fishes in the late middle Miocene of northern Moldova, Eastern Paratethys – part I: an extinct clade of Lesueurigobius look-alikes

Studies of otoliths suggest that Gobioidei, which are among the most species-rich groups of modern-day vertebrates, were prominent elements of late middle Miocene (early Sarmatian sensu lato) fish faunas in Europe and Western Asia. However, few complete skeletons have come to light. Here, we report an assemblage of six marine gobiid species, based on skeletons preserved with otoliths in situ, from the lower Volhynian (lower Sarmatian s.l.) of Karpov Yar, Naslavcea, northern Moldova (Eastern Paratethys). Previously only one of these species had been reported from the Central Paratethys, based on its otoliths alone. Five new species representing four new genera are described: †Katyagobius prikryli gen. et sp. nov., Pseudolesueurigobius manfredi gen. et sp. nov., †Sarmatigobius compactus gen. et sp. nov., †Yarigobius decoratus gen. et sp. nov., and †Y. naslavcensis gen. et sp. nov. All six species share the following set of characters, suggesting that they represent a monophyletic clade: 27–29 vertebrae (of which 10 are abdominal); spines of first dorsal fin distally filamentous; second dorsal fin with spine and 14–16 soft rays; anal fin with spine and 13–15 soft rays; caudal fin longish-to-lanceolate; otoliths (sagittae) with rounded, trapezoid-to-squarish shape. Their skeletal features suggest that they are closely related to Lesueurigobius Whitley, 1950, but the otoliths preserved in situ do not support such a classification. The new fossils most likely represent a stem lineage of the European Aphia lineage, and indicate that the diversity of gobiid lineages 12 million years ago differed clearly from that observed today.

Morphological and Histological Characteristics of Testis of the Goby Glossogobius sparsipapillus Living from Coastal Estuaries from Bac Lieu to Ca Mau

This study was conducted in the coastal estuaries in Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces in order to provide data on morphological and histological characteristics of as well as the spermatocyte development at every stage of the development of testis of goby Glossogobius sparsipapillus. The analysis results of 226 fish individuals, collected monthly from April 2019 to September 2019 by using the bottom nets, showed that the testis of this fish was double strands. In stage I, testis was small, thin and transparent; and the weight and size of testis increased from that stage onward. The colour of the testis became ivory white with the smooth and puffed surface. Spermatogonia were found through the cross-section of the testis in stage I, and then they were divided into primary spermatocytes and secondary spermatocytes, which were interlaced in stage II. In stage III, spermatids appeared in testicular lobes and developed into sperm in stage IV. This fish species is a multiple spawner during the breeding season, because there are several developmental stages of spermatocytes in their histology. This result is the basis for further research on artificial reproduction of this fish. Keywords: Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Glossogobius sparsipapillus, reproductive form, testis.Keywords: Essential oil plats, life form, plants, Sop Cop nature reserve. References [1] P. Akihito, K. Meguro, Glossogobius sparsipapillus, a new species of goby from Viet Nam. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 23 (1976) 9-11. [2] D.D. Tran, K. Shibukawa, T.P. Nguyen, P.H. Ha, X.L. Tran, V.H. Mai & K. Utsugi, Fishes of Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Can Tho University Publisher, Can Tho, 2013 (In Vietnamese).[3] H.V. Nguyen, Freshwater fish of Viet Nam, Vol III, Agriculture Publishing House, Ha Noi, 2005 (In Vietnamese).[4] T.N. Nguyen, Fauna of Vietnam – Gobioidei, Science and Technics House Publishing, Ha Noi, 2000 (in Vietnamese).[5] H.M.T. To, T.M.X. Pham, V.H. Mai, D.D. Tran. Species composition of goby (Eleotridae and Gobiidae) and some characteristics of tank goby (G. giuris) distributed in Can Tho. Proceeding of Aqua Youth, Ho Chi Minh City (2013) 575-582 (in Vietnamese).[6] X.M.T. Pham, D.D. Tran, Some characteristics on reproductive biology of Tank goby (Glossogobus giuris) distributed in Can Tho city, Can Tho University Journal of Science 27 (2013) 161-168 (in Vietnamese).[7] Q.M. Dinh, T.V. Ly. Preliminary study result of length – weight of tank goby, Glossogobius giuris, distributing in Soc Trang, Can Tho University Journal of Science 2 (2014) 220-225. (in Vietnamese).[8] G.V. Nikolsky, Ecology of fishes, Academic Press, London, United Kingdom, 1963.[9] H.M. Carleton, R.A.B. Drury, E. Wallington, Carleton's Histological Technique, Oxford University Press, London, United Kingdom, 1980.[10] Q.M. Dinh, J.G. Qin, S. Dittmann, D.D. Tran, Reproductive biology of the burrow dwelling goby Parapocryptes serperaster. Ichthyological Research 63 (2016) 324–32. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10228-015-0502-7 [11] L. Bui, M.H. Nguyen, Q.K. Nguyen, Q.L. Le, D.Y. Mai, Basis of physiology of fish. Agriculture Publishing House, Ha Noi, 1985 (in Vietnamese).[12] P.J. Miller, The topology of gobioid fishes, G.W. Potts, R.J. Wootton (eds), The topology of gobioid fishes, Academic Press, Orlando, London, United Kingdom, 1984, 119-53[13] Q.M. Dinh, T.T.G. Nguyen, T.K.T. Nguyen, Reproductive biology of the mudskipper Boleophthalmus boddarti in Soc Trang. Tap chi Sinh hoc 37 (2015) 362-9. https://doi.org/10. 15625/0866-7160/v37n3.6720 [14] Q.M. Dinh, T.T.M. Le, Reproductive traits of the duckbill sleeper Butis butis (Hamilton, 1822). Zoological Science 34 (2017) 452-8. https://doi. org/10.2108/zs170013.[15] N.H.T. Le, Q.M. Dinh, Reproductive pattern, morphological and histological characteristics of gonads of the goby Eleotris melanosoma from the Coastline in Soc Trang, VNU Journal of Science: Natural Sciences and Technology, 33 (2017) 9-86. http://doi.org/10.25073/2588-1140/ vnunst.4490 (in Vietnamese).[16] Q.M. Dinh, T.T.N. Tran, Reproductive biological traits of the goby Stigmatogobius pleurostigma (Bleeker, 1849) from the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Indian Journal of Fisheries 65 (2018) 20-5. http://doi.org/10.21077/ijf.2018.65.1.681 88-04. [17] Q.M. Dinh, L.T. Tran, N.C. Ngo, T.B. Pham, T.T.K. Nguyen, Reproductive biology of the unique mudskipper Periophthalmodon septemradiatus living from estuary to upstream of the Hau River. Acta Zoologica(2018) 1-12. http://doi.org/10.1111/azo.12286.

First report of the parasitic copepod Lernaea cyprinacea (Copepoda: Lernaeidae) on gobioid fishes (Teleostei: Gobonellidae) in southern Europe

Lernaea cyprinacea is a non host-specific parasitic copepod known to infest many freshwater fish species. Outbreaks of infestations by this ectoparasite may cause mass mortality of parasitized fishes. L. cyprinacea has been found mostly on pelagic species. Records on small benthic fish species are less common. Especially rare are infestations of Gobioidei adapted to a benthic life style, with reports restricted to Asia and, in Europe, to the Ponto-Caspian region. Although it is cosmopolitan, L. cyprinacea has rarely been found in Italy. One of the few Italian localities with documented infestations is Lake Trasimeno, a lake with an economically important fishery. Although endoparasites of commercially interesting fish species in this lake are well documented, information about ectoparasites is rare. In May 2015, specimens of two gobioids − Knipowitschia panizzae and Pomatoschistus canestrinii − infested with L. cyprinacea were sampled at the south shore of Lake Trasimeno. Both gobies are not native to the lake. This is the first documentation of gobioid fishes as hosts of L. cyprinacea in Italy and in Europe (outside of the Ponto-Caspian region). Although both gobies are not optimal hosts (small size, short life expectancy) they have the potential to carry and to transmit the parasite in freshwater habitats, e.g. by unintentional introduction with fry of other fish species.

On the formation of family-group names and gender of genera based on the stem—butis (Teleostei: Perciformes: Gobioidei)

The familial classification of gobioid fishes is in a state of flux, reflecting incomplete understanding of phylogenetic relationships within the suborder. However, there has been rapid progress over the past decade or so, which is likely to continue, undoubtedly leading to the erection of new family-group names. One such family, Odontobutidae, was erected by Hoese and Gill (1993) for several Asiatic freshwater genera. Recently, the spelling of this taxon has been challenged (Kottelat, 2001; Chen et al., 2002). According to Chen et al. (2002: 233): “Although commonly spelled Odontobutidae, a family-group name based on the genus group name Odontobutis should be spelled Odontobutididae as the stem of the genus group name is odontobutid- (ICZN art. 29). The spelling Odontobutidae can be retained under ICZN art. 29.3.1.1 only if it is the “prevailing usage”, but ICZN is logically flawed on this point as it does not provide a tool to objectively decide what is the “prevailing usage”. Both spellings are in use, and it seems thus logical to stick to the letter of the ICZN.”