Abstract
The systematic relationships in the species of the genus Odontesthes Evermann & Kendall, 1906 were analysed by multivariate morphometry, using data adjusted for alometric size effects by orthogonal projections. The results are discussed in terms of morphological differentiation to each geographic units. It was concluded that seven species were identified in the southern Brazilian coast. Five of them inhabit freshwater environments, O. bonariensis (Valenciennes, 1835), O. humensis De Buen, 1953, O. retropinnis (De Buen, 1953), O. aff. perugiae Evermann & Kendall, 1906 and O. mirinensis Bemvenuti, 1995. The freshwater atherinids with the largest body size, O. retropinnis, O. bonariensis and O. humensis, can be distinguished by snout size, mouth position and number of gill rakers on the first branchial arch. The small size silversides, Odontesthes aff. perugiae and O. mirinensis, showed features of similar morphologic and sympatric distribution. The remaining species were represented by O. incisa (Jenyns, 1842), that occurred in coastal areas and O. argentinensis (Valenciennes, 1835) in brackish waters. In the last species, intraespecific morphological variation is attributed to phenotypic plasticity, resulted from environmental conditions found in that ecosystem.
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