Morphological variation in two populations of Aphanius dispar from two sulfur springs in Bushehr

I this study, morphological characteristics of two populations of Aphanius dispar from two sulfur springs of Ahram and Dalaki in Bushehr were compared investigated. Totally sixty specimens, 30 from each spring, were caught by cone net. The morphological results were first standardized by Beckham equation and then investigated by principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant function analysis (DFA) and clustering analysis (CA). Wilks' Lambda test was used to compare the differences observed in the studied groups. Among the 78 truss intervals analyzed, 42 intervals showed a significant in the populations of A.dispar in Ahram and Dalki rivers (P<0.05). The studied populations are distinguished especially by pre anal, body height, distance from pectoral fin to ventral fin, distance from pectoral fin to anal fin, caudal peduncle length, head length, pre orbital, pre ventral and dorsal length. Apparently, the morphological differences between the two populations signifies distinct stocks in the studied rivers.