Biometry of Barilius mesopotamicus populations in Iran

Study of fishes in aquatic ecosystems is important in many ways, including ecology, ethology, conservation and management of water resources, reserves and aquaculture, so the present study compared the geometric morphometrics of Barilius mesopotamicus populations in Iran. Some 460 specimens were sampled from Zardmashin, Aalaa, Jarrahi, Dez, Shur, Meymeh, Changooleh, Kangir, Doyrej, Ahram, Zohreh, Kheirabad, Karzin, Shahpur and Darolmizan rivers in Bushehr and Tigris basins. Some 17 meristics were counted under a stereomicroscope. The data were analyzed with multivariate statistical methods including PCA, DFA, CVA and cluster analysis. Multivariate comparisons showed no significant differences in the studied populations. Kruskal-Wallis analyses of the means of all meristic traits showed significant differences among different basins, although the PCA and CVA tests did not present these differences very well, thus generally, the studied populaions were overlapping.