<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Scale morphology and its structural details were studied with morphometry, geometric morphometrics, and scanning electron microscopy in five Iranian <italic>Aphanius</italic> species and examined comparatively with molecular phylogeny. Scales were cycloid and circular in <italic>A. farsicus</italic> Teimori, Esmaeili &amp; Reichenbacher and <italic>A. vladykovi</italic> Coad, cycloid and polygonal in <italic>A. isfahanensis</italic> Hrbek, Keivany &amp; Coad and <italic>A. sophiae</italic> (Heckel), and were spined and polygonal in <italic>A. dispar</italic> Rüppell. Univariate analysis indicated that the relative length of anterior margin of radii played a significant role in the separation of some species studied (P &lt; 0.05). Canonical Variates Analysis (CVA) based on seven landmarks showed clear separation between the Iranian inland and inland-related <italic>Aphanius</italic> species (IIRAS) group (four species) and the brackish water species (<italic>A. dispar</italic>). The lepidonts were conical in the IIRAS group with the exception of <italic>A. isfahanensis</italic> (rounded) and were rounded in <italic>A. dispar</italic>. Based on the basal position of the brackish water <italic>Aphanius</italic> species in the phylogenetic trees of the genus <italic>Aphanius,</italic> it can be assumed that the presence of rounded lepidonts was a primary state in their scales or is the result of convergent evolution. Also, the polygonal state in the scales of <italic>Aphanius</italic> species was a primitive shared character state.</p></abstract>

Scale morphology and its structural details were studied with morphometry, geometric morphometrics, and scanning electron microscopy in five Iranian Aphanius species and examined comparatively with molecular phylogeny. Scales were cycloid and circular in A. farsicus Teimori, Esmaeili & Reichenbacher and A. vladykovi Coad, cycloid and polygonal in A. isfahanensis Hrbek, Keivany & Coad and A. sophiae (Heckel), and were spined and polygonal in A. dispar Rüppell. Univariate analysis indicated that the relative length of anterior margin of radii played a significant role in the separation of some species studied (P < 0.05). Canonical Variates Analysis (CVA) based on seven landmarks showed clear separation between the Iranian inland and inland-related Aphanius species (IIRAS) group (four species) and the brackish water species (A. dispar). The lepidonts were conical in the IIRAS group with the exception of A. isfahanensis (rounded) and were rounded in A. dispar. Based on the basal position of the brackish water Aphanius species in the phylogenetic trees of the genus Aphanius, it can be assumed that the presence of rounded lepidonts was a primary state in their scales or is the result of convergent evolution. Also, the polygonal state in the scales of Aphanius species was a primitive shared character state.

Combining morphology, scanning electron microscopy, and molecular phylogeny to evaluate the taxonomic power of scales in genus <italic>Aphanius</italic> Nardo, 1827 (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae)

Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences

Fisheries & Aquatic Life

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Combining morphology, scanning electron microscopy, and molecular phylogeny to evaluate the taxonomic power of scales in genus  Nardo, 1827 (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae)

Scale morphology and its structural details were studied with morphometry, geometric morphometrics, and scanning electron microscopy in five Iranian Aphanius...

Combining morphology, scanning electron microscopy, and molecular phylogeny to evaluate the taxonomic power of scales in genus Aphanius Nardo, 1827 (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae)

Published Online: Jul 22, 2017

Page range: 77 - 87

Received: Mar 19, 2017

Accepted: Jun 13, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/aopf-2017-0008

Keywords
Cyprinodontiformes, lepidont, phylogeny, scale topology, geometric morphometrics, Iran

© 2017 Archives of Polish Fisheries

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Combining morphology, scanning electron microscopy, and molecular phylogeny to evaluate the taxonomic power of scales in genus Aphanius Nardo, 1827 (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae)

Published Online: Jul 22, 2017

Page range: 77 - 87

Received: Mar 19, 2017

Accepted: Jun 13, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/aopf-2017-0008

KeywordsCyprinodontiformes, lepidont, phylogeny, scale topology, geometric morphometrics, Iran

© 2017 Archives of Polish Fisheries

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Cyprinodontiformes, lepidont, phylogeny, scale topology, geometric morphometrics, Iran