ИСТИНА

Our taxonomic studies, as well as the analysis of literature data, result in modified recent list of the Black Sea ichthyofauna represented by 175 marine, euryhaline and anadromous species from 57 families and 22 orders (excluding doubtful records of two species – Mullus surmuletus and Pomatoschistus pictus). The main source determined recent modifications in the number of fish species is the discovery of several Mediterranean species previously unknown in the Black Sea (Pomatoschistus bathi, Gobius xanthocephalus, G. cruentatus, Parablennius incognitus), as well as invasive Indo-Pacific Sphyraena pinguis and introduced Pacific Tridentiger trigonocephalus. The taxonomic studies revealed separate species status for both Spicara flexuosa and S. maena and Proterorhinus semilunaris and P. marmoratus proved by genetic analyses. The special investigations resulted in the revisions of taxonomic relations between Mediterranean and Black Sea populations in genera Mullus, Uranoscopus and Atherina, as well as in nomenclature revision in some taxa, for example in genus Hippocampus. However, the only new valid species recently described in the Black Sea basin is Neogobius сephalargoides Pinchuk, 1976, whereas Knipowitschia georghievi Pinchuk, 1978 and Benthophilus durrelli Boldyrev & Bogutskaya, 2004 should be treated invalid names. Further possible changes related with continuous penetration of Mediterranean fauna are discussed.