The Application of the Geometric Morphometric Technique in Evaluating Sexual Dimorphism in the Body Shape of Aphaniops Hormozensis from Mehran and Shur Rivers (Hormozgan Basin)

Abstract

Abstract During 2018-2019, to investigate the sexual dimorphism in the body shape and morphological variations of Aphaniops hormozensis inhabiting in Mehran and Shur rivers of the Hormozgan basin using the geometric morphometric method, 80 specimens were collected. In the laboratory, the left side of the samples was photographed and 17 landmark points were digitalized on the 2D images. To eliminate non-shape data including size, direction, and position, the extracted data were analyzed by the generalized procrustes analysis using discriminant function analysis based on the p-value of T-test Hoteling. The results of the present study showed significant differences between the body shape of males and females within the population and male-male and female-female inter-populations (p < 0.05). Male species in both populations had a smaller head, lower body depth, and longer caudal peduncle than those of females. Males and females of the Mehran River have a deeper and longer caudal peduncle than those of Shur Rivers.

Keywords

• phenotype plasticity
• procrustes analysis
• discriminant function analysis
• hormozgan province