IDENTIFICATION OF PLEURONECTIFORMES SPECIES IN THE PERSIAN GULF (KHUZESTAN PROVINCE) USING MORPHOMETRIES AND MERISTICS CHARACTERISTICS

This study was carried out to identify the different species of Pleuronectiformes order in the Khuzestan province waters (persian Gulf) from March 2003 to June 2005.
A Total of 671 specimens were collected by bottom trawl or from 7 main landings. The sampling period was seasonal. 36 main morphometric and meristic characteristics were measured. The results showed that 6 families of Soleidae, Cynoglossidae, Paralichtidae, Bothidae, Psettodidae and Citharidae are found in the studied area consist of 25 species of: Brachirus orentalis, Solea elongata, Monochirus lutenus, Parachirus marmoratus (family Soleidae); Cynoglossus arel, C. bilineatus, C. Puncticeps, C. durbanensis, C. lachneri (family Cynoglossidae); Pseudorombus annulatus, P. elevatus, P. arsius, P. malayanus, P. navaleusis, Paralichthodes algoensis, Poecilopstei javanicus (family Paralichtidae); Arnoglossus aspilos, A. arabicus, Engyprosopon grandisquama, Laeopes guentheri, L. natalensis, L. pectoralis, Psettina bre.virictis (family Bothidae); Psettodes erumei (family Psettodidae) and Citharoides macrolepis (family Citharidae).