Mitochondrial phylogeny, diversity, and ichthyogeography of gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the oldest and deepest Caspian sub-basin and tracing source and spread pattern of an introduced Rhinogobius species at the tricontinental crossroad

Here, we combined archived mitochondrial sequences for Ponto-Caspian gobiids with new sequences from the south Caspian basin to assess and evaluate its gobioid diversity and taxonomy, and to provide a first mitochondrial-based phylogenetic and phylogeographic framework. We demonstrate that: (i) Proterorhinus nasalis is the tubenose goby taxon in the saline waters of the southern Caspian Sea, whereas the name Pr. semipellucidus for the...