Neogobius melanostomus

Another invader from the Black & Caspian Seas, the round goby Neogobius melanostomus was discovered in the St. Clair River, Michigan, in 1990. It is now the dominant benthic fish in many areas of the lower Great Lakes, outcompeting native sculpin Cottus bairdi and logperch Percina caprodes. It is also expanding its range in the St. Lawrence River, where we have begun to examine its interactions with native species. We have recently found evidence that it has reduced the diversity and abundance of invertebrate communities at some sites (Kipp & Ricciardi 2012; Kipp et al. 2012).