Descriptive skeletal structure of Capoeta buhsei Kessler, 1877 from Namak Lake basin

Capoeta buhsei is one of nine Iranian species of the genus Capoeta. This species is endemic to the Namak Lake basin.Since limited information is available about biologicalfeatures of this species, and also because of the importance of the skeletal structure to understand biological features of fishes, this study was aimed to provide a detailed description of the osteology features of C. buhsei. For this study, a total of 12 specimens from Kordan River were collected, and then fixed into 10% formalin and cleared and stained with alizarin red S and alcian blue for osteological examinations. After providing a detailed osteological features of this species, the results were compared with those of Capoeta damascina, that its osteological was available. The results showed apparent differences between compared species in structures of the neurocranium, operculum series, hyoid and branch arches, dorsal fin, symplectic and ectopterygoid bones and hemal and neural spines of the caudal fin.