Norin Goby

Diagnosis: This species differs from its congeners by the following combination of characters: squamation is reduced to axillar and caudal peduncle patches, unconnected or connected with single row along lateral midline; the anterior oculoscapular canal is present, ending anteriorly with or without pore ?; the preopercular canal is present (at least in a part of the population); the pelvic frenum has a crenate rear edge; suborbital longitudinal row b anteriorly beginning below rear border of eye; anterior dorsal row m is present; oculoscapular row u absent; single papilla of interorbital row p is present, at least in a part of a the population (Ref. 55951).

Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 8

Specimens were collected in a karstic river with fresh, oligotrophic, running water. The adults collected only in the main current at the greatest river depth (5.5 meter); bottom was clear gravel laterally becoming muddy; the juvenile (paratype) was collected in shallow waters, among vegetation (Ref. 55951).

Knipowitschia radovici, the Norin goby, is a species of goby endemic to Croatia where it only occurs in the drainage basin of the Neretva River, where adults inhabit the deepest parts of the rivers (down to 5.5 metres (18 ft)) in the strongest current (juveniles are found in shallower waters). This species can reach a length of 2.8 centimetres (1.1 in) SL. The specific name honours the Ornithologist Dragan Radović, a friend of the author, Marcelo Kovačić, who encouraged him to sample in the waterbodies of Croatia.