Morphological variation among Oxynoemacheilus chomanicus populations of the Choman River drainage shown using the geometrics morphometric technique

Abstract

Oxynoemacheilus chomanicus is an endemic loach species in Choman River drainage of Kurdistan Province (Iran). In this study we evaluated the morphological variation of body shape among different population of this species from three main tributaries of Choman River; Baneh, Boein and Shooei Rivers. A total of 92 specimens were examined using geometric morphometric method. Using the photographs from the left side of specimens 14 landmarks and 2 semi-landmarks points were selected and analyzed using PCA and CVA methods. Results obtained indicated significant differences between studied populations, especially in head, caudal peduncle and dorsal fin base parts of the fish body.

Keywords

• geometric morphometric
• landmark points
• oxynoemacheilus chomanicus