Cottus gobio

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	SCORPAENIFORMES	COTTIDAE

Scientific Name:

Cottus gobio

Species Authority:

Linnaeus, 1758

Common Name/s:

English

–

Bullhead

Taxonomic Notes:

Considering its wide range and the observed morphological diversity, future research on C. gobio is likely to show that it is in fact an assemblage of several species.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2011

Assessor/s:

Freyhof, J.

Reviewer/s:

Kottelat, M. & Smith, K.

Contributor/s:

Kottelat, M.

Justification:
A widespread species with no known major widespread threats, however several populations are locally threatened. Future research on C. gobio is likely to show that it is in fact an assemblage of several species and each should be re-evaluated.

European Union 27 = LC. Same rationale as above.

History:

2008	–	Least Concern (IUCN 2008)
2008	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Northern Baltic basin in Scandinavia south to stream Maurine (53°51'N 10°56'E) in southwesternmost corner of Baltic basin (Germany). Lower reaches of streams and rivers and along coast of Sweden, Finland, Russia southwest to Estonia. Danube (except upper tributaries Save and Arges), Elbe, Ems, Weser and Rhône drainages. Tributaries of upper Rhine downriver (northward) to about Mannheim. A few of the uppermost tributaries of River Tevere, Central Italy. Adriatic drainages, from Potenza (Italy) to Zrmanja (Croatia), except Timavo spring (inhabited by C. scaturigo). mtDNA and microsatellite data show that sculpins from the stream Steenputbeek (4°17'N 50°43'E) in Scheldt drainage represent C. gobio, suspected to be introduced. Sculpins reported from Neretva drainage (Bosnia-Herzegovina) probably also belong to C. gobio.
Countries:	Native: Austria; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Hungary; Italy; Liechtenstein; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia (Serbia); Slovakia; Slovenia; Sweden; Switzerland; Ukraine
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Abundant.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Habitat: Cold, clear and fast-flowing water of small stream to medium-sized rivers. As well on gravel or rocky shores of cold lakes and in slightly brackish waters along eastern Baltic coast. Biology: Spawns for the first time at 2-4 years. Spawns in March-April, when temperature rises above 12°C. Females spawn once a year. Most individuals spawn for several years. They lay adhesive eggs in a compact clutch on ceiling of small cavities in gravel or rock bottom. Males guard eggs until hatching; a single male may guard the egg clutches of several females. Feeds on a wide variety of benthic invertebrates.
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Habitat:
Cold, clear and fast-flowing water of small stream to medium-sized rivers. As well on gravel or rocky shores of cold lakes and in slightly brackish waters along eastern Baltic coast.

Biology:
Spawns for the first time at 2-4 years. Spawns in March-April, when temperature rises above 12°C. Females spawn once a year. Most individuals spawn for several years. They lay adhesive eggs in a compact clutch on ceiling of small cavities in gravel or rock bottom. Males guard eggs until hatching; a single male may guard the egg clutches of several females. Feeds on a wide variety of benthic invertebrates.

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	No major threats known.

Major Threat(s):

No major threats known.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	No information available.

Conservation Actions:

No information available.

Citation:	Freyhof, J. 2011. Cottus gobio. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2013.
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