12. Benthophilus leptocephalus Kessler, 1877, Slender-headed Tadpole Goby

Benthophilus leptocephalus Kessler, 1877: 45; type locality: South Caspian Sea, depth 230 m; lectotype: ZIN 10894, paralectotypes: (1).

Etymology: Greek, leptos = slender + Greek, kephale = head, means slender-headed.

Distribution and habitat: Recorded in the western Middle Caspian Sea from the Samur River mouth south to 39°41’N and the eastern South Caspian Sea between Türkmenbaşy (= Krasnovodsk) and Gasankuli (= GasanKuli), Turkmenistan (Fig. 8C). Not yet confirmed with specimens from Iran. Deepwater species, spawns at 30–80 m but commonly occurs in depths of 50–100 m, down to 300 m. Salinity usually 12–13 ‰ (Boldyrev & Bogutskaya 2007).

IUCN: LC (Bogutskaya 2020f).