21. Hyrcanogobius bergi Iljin, 1928 (Fig. 15), Berg’s Goby

Hyrcanogobius bergi Iljin, 1928: 44, figs. 7–11; type locality: North Caspian Sea, near the mouths of the Volga, Ural, and Emba rivers, Russia and Kazakhstan; syntypes: ZIN 25417 (5), Volga.

Etymology: Named after L. S. Berg, Russian ichthyologist.

Distribution and habitat: The coastal waters of all three areas of the Caspian Sea (Fig. 16A). Gobius longecaudatus var. “c” Kessler, 1877 described from Baku Bay (Azerbaijan) is a synonym (Miller & Pinchuk 2004a). Its records are from the western coasts of the North and western Middle Caspian Sea (in Russia) and the eastern South Caspian Sea (Miller & Pinchuk 2004a), also from the western South Caspian Sea (this study). Shakirova & Sukhanova (1994) also record this species from the Atrek lakes of Turkmenistan. Semi-pelagic and also benthic in inshore waters, inhabiting euryhaline to freshwaters (Miller & Pinchuk 2004a). In Iran, this species was recorded by us in the coastal waters off Astara.

Material examined: ZM-CBSU S017-3, 34, & ZM-CBSU S085, 5, off Astara, Gilan Province, Iran .

IUCN: LC (Freyhof 2020).