Comparison of morphometric and meristic characteristics of Caspian Kutum, Rutilus kutum (Kamensky, 1901) in the south Caspian Sea Basin

In the present study, the morphometric and meristic characteristics of 363 specimens of Rutilus kutum (Kamensky, 1901) collected from the Chelvand, Khalehsara, Sefid, Khoshk, Shir rivers and Anzali wetland, Chalous and Torkeman shores in the south Caspian Sea Basin were compared. All caught specimens were freshly transferred to the laboratory. In the Lab some 36 morphometric and nine meristic characters were measured and recorded. After standardization all data were analyzed using One-Way ANOVA, Duncan test, Canonical variate Analysis (CVA) and Cluster Analysis (CA). The results showed significant differences in 30 morphometric and two meristic traits between the studied populations (p < 0.05). The CVA was able to separate the studied populations and CA placed the Chalous populaion in a cluster separately from the others. Generally, the performance of the morphometric traits was superior to meristics in discrimination populations.Generally, the performance of the morphometric traits was superior to meristics in discrimination populations.