Morphological comparison of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis L., 1758) in the Anzali and Chamkhaleh wetlands, Guilan Province

This study aimed to compare morphological variation of the two populations of the Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis L., 1758) from the Anzali wetland and Chamkhaleh River downstream by sampling 20 specimens from each in 2006. A total of 38 morphometric and 13 meristic characters were measured and counted. To eliminate the effects of allometric growth patterns the morphometric characteristics were standardized. The results showed a significant difference between studied populations in some morphometric and meristic traits (P<0.05). In the morphometric, eye diameter, head length, and predorsal and post dorsal-ventral lengths and in those of meristic the lateral line scales, numbers of the unbranched rays of 2ed dorsal-, anal- and ventral fins and upper gill rakers revealed significant differences between the Anzali and Chamkhaleh populations (P<0.05). The results showed that the two studied populations are separated by morphometric and meristic characters, therefore they should be considered as separate populations in future fisheries management plans.