Yugoslavian and other records of the Italian freshwater goby, Padogobius martensii, and a character polarization in gobioid fishes

Abstract

Padogobius martensii, a freshwater gobiid fish from the Po basin and adjoining rivers of northeastern Italy, is now recorded from Yugoslavia (Dalmatia), and further rivers of the Italian Adriatic seaboard. Diagnostic features are summarized, with special reference to another freshwater goby of the area, Orsinigobius punctatissimus. The origin of the Dalmatian populations is discussed with reference to sea-level changes in the postglacial Adriatic basin. Meristic polymorphism in dorsal pterygiophore sequence is described in the various P. martensii populations and its significance noted for polarization of character states in this feature.

Keywords :

• Gobiid fishes
• Limnology
• Systematics
• Zoogeography
• Italy
• Yugoslavia
• Meristic variation