Molecular-genetic identification of chameleon goby Tridentiger trigonocephalus (Gill, 1859) in the Black Sea

The article focuses on the molecular-genetic identification of the chameleon goby, which has recently become established in the Black Sea basin. The natural range of the chameleon goby are the seas of the Far-East. Genetic variation was studied for the16S rRNA mtDNA gene. The obtained genetic data were compared with similar data of chameleon goby from the natural range and other species from the Tridentiger genus. We determined that, according to the 16S rRNA gene, the identification of the goby from the mouth of the Chernaya River as a species of Tridentiger trigonocephalus was confirmed, and the parameters of the variability indicate an extremely low genetic variability for this gene. According to the authors, the adaptive success of the chameleon goby in the conditions of the Black Sea basin is similar to such of invasive species, namely pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) and stone moroko (Pseudorasbora parva).