Morphologic and Allozyme Analyses of European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus (L. 1758)) in the Black, Marmara and Aegean Seas

Abstract

The morphologic and genetic variations of Engraulis encrasicolus (L. 1758) were studied based on morphometric, meristic and allozyme analyses. Samples were collected throughout the Black, Marmara and Aegean Seas. Discriminant function analysis of both morphometric and meristic characters indicated the existence of four morphologically differentiated groups of E. encrasicolus. The Aegean Sea and Marmara Sea samples were the most isolated from all others for morphometric and meristic characters. Genetic analyses indicated great variability but suggested low levels of differentiation in the eastern Black Sea samples. However, the low genetic distance between this and other samples suggests the existence of hybridization between the Azov and eastern Black Sea populations. Nonetheless, genetic analysis showed that these levels were significant and the population structure should be analysed using markers able to detect a greater degree of population differentiation.