[2] This small fish is widely distributed in fresh-water streams and lakes across central and temperate Eurasia.

Its head is wide and flattened, with a rather obtuse snout, the lower jaw being shorter than the upper one.

Usually greenish brown above and silvery on the sides, this fish has a row of six to twelve faint dark blotches running along the flank.

It has a white underside, and its pectoral, ventral, and anal fins are of a grayish-white color with a brownish tinge.

It is typically found in lakes, rivers and streams of all sizes that have sandy or gravelly bottoms.

[1] The gudgeon moves in shoals over sandy and gravelly bottoms, feeding on worms, aquatic insects and larvae, small mollusks, ova, and fry.

In Central Europe, on streams and rivers, gudgeon composes up to 45% of the diet of common kingfisher (by numbers, usually between 25 and 35%) and represented the most hunted fish prey.