Abstract:
This study was conducted to investigate the morphological variation between
seven populations of Oxynoemacheilus seyhanensis inhabiting three basins of Turkish inland
waters. For this purpose, a total of 71 specimens were collected from Yildizeli, Taşköprü,
Suşehri rivers (Kizilirmak basin), Büyükpotuklu, Pinarbaşi and Örenşehir rivers (Seyhan
basin) and Akdağmadeni River (Yesilirmak basin). A total of 31 morphometric
characteristics were measured. After standardization, data were analyzed using one-way
ANOVA and Duncan, Kruskal-Wallis tests, principal component analysis (PCA), canonical
variate analysis (CVA), non-parametric MANOVA and cluster analysis. The results showed
significant differences in 26 traits between the studied populations of O. seyhanensis
(P<0.05) revealing a high morphological flexibility of this deep-bodied species.
