Stellate tadpole-goby

The stellate tadpole-goby (Benthophilus stellatus) is a species of gobiid fish native to the basin of the Sea of Azov where it occurs in the Gulf of Taganrog and limans of the eastern coast.^[2] It also lives in the lower Don River up to the Tsimlyansk Reservoir. It occurs in fresh and brackish waters of depths greater than 3 metres (9.8 ft), preferring shallow coastal lagoons and lowland rivers. Males can reach a length of 13.5 centimetres (5.3 in) TL while females only reach 11 centimetres (4.3 in) TL.^[3]

Stellate tadpole-goby
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Gobiiformes
Family:	Gobiidae
Genus:	Benthophilus
Species:	B. stellatus
Binomial name
Benthophilus stellatus (Sauvage, 1874)
The range of the stellate tadpole-goby
Synonyms
Doliichthys stellatus Sauvage, 1874 Benthophilus macrocephalus maeoticus Kuznetsov, 1888 Benthophilus monstrosus Kuznetsov, 1888

The Caspian stellate tadpole-goby (Benthophilus leobergius) has been considered a subspecies of this species.

See also

• Benthophilus magistri, the Azov tadpole goby