engleski

Morphometric and meristic characteristics of the goldside loach Sabanejewia balcanica (Cobitidae) in central Croatia

We studied sixteen morphometric and eight meristic characteristics of forty-five goldside loaches from two rivers in central Croatia, the Bijela and the Petrinjčica, belonging to the Sava River basin. We found significant differences (P < 0.01) in all the morphometric characteristics of the populations from these two rivers. While the mean total length (TL) of the goldside loache population from Petrinjčica (mean TL = 60.4 mm ; min-max = 52.8-70.2 mm) is comparable with TL in other populations described in Europe, individuals from the Bijela seem to be significantly bigger in size (mean TL = 91.8 mm ; min-max = 76.4-102.4) and are among the longest specimens in Europe. Although we can not be sure if this is a result of phenotype variability or some specific taxonomic quality, the position of the Bijela on the old isolated massif of Mt Papuk may have led to the specific morphometric characteristics of this goldside loache population.

Cobitidae; morphometry; Croatia; Sava River drainage

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