A study was conducted to compare 28 morphometric and 12 meristic characters of Anzali Lagoon roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus natio Kurensis Berg) and
Gorgan-Rud estuary roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus natio Kniiopowistschi
Pravdin) from late february to late march 2000. Coefficients of variation for morphometric and meristic characters were 17.48 and 5.55 for Anzali lagoon and 27.6 and 5.56 for C:Jorgan -Rud estuary respectively. One-way ANOV A and multivariate analysis show that there were significant differences between the roach of the two areas in most absolute and relative morphometric and meristic characters. Factor analysis revealed that the followings were the most important and independent characters; snout length, caudal peduncle length, anal fin height, eye diameter, head length/interorbital distance, standard length/body depth, standard length/pectoral fin length, anal fin rays, predorsal scale number and total body vertebrate. Discrinlinant function analysis showed that the two populations in Anzali lagoon and Gorgan- Rud estuary are distinct from each other.
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