Stellate Tadpole Goby

This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: a tubercle between eyes; sparse granules on flanks, backward only to below D2 base, rare between upper lateral and dorsal rows of tubercles; head width 94-104 % HL; tubercles in dorsal row 27-30, ventral row 22-25, upper lateral row 10-16 (slightly smaller posteriorly), lower lateral row with few tiny tubercles or absent; chin barbel slightly compressed, thick, about equal in length with eye diameter; origin of D2 in front of anal origin; transverse rows of neuromasts on flank 19-23; no spot in front of D2; sides with dark blotches and irregular dots; a blotch around base of first dorsal usually reaching origin of D2 (Ref. 59043); head and body covered with spinulose bony platelets; rounded caudal fins and ventral suckers (Ref. 92840).

Feeds on molluscs, crustaceans, insect larvae and small fishes.

Inhabits shallow coastal lagoons and lowland rivers in freshwater and brackish water with salinity below 12 ppt. Adults occur in muddy reaches of rivers; in brackish water, more than 3 m deep (Ref. 4696, 59043). This species spawns after first winter, May-June and females die shortly after spawning while with males, some weeks after. Feeds on mollusks, crustaceans, insect larvae and small fishes (Ref. 4696, 59043). Eggs are pear-shaped (Ref. 4696).

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. 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.

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