Abstract
Abstract : Osteological intra-specific variation was studied in olive barb Puntius sarana Hamilton 1822, from six water bodies in Sri Lanka. Discernible variation was reported in the elements of the cranium, pharyngeal bones and caudal skeleton of the fish. The curvature of the median suture between frontals of the skull roof in fish from the rivers Walawe, Nilwala and the Kirindi Oya was directed opposite to that in fish from the rivers Menik, Gin and Kalu. Shape of the tip of dorsal limb of the pharyngeal bones was either most commonly pointed or truncated. Consistent distinctiveness in the rudimentary neural arch of the compound centrum was observed in the Walawe River population, while double neural spines were present on preural centra (PU2 or PU3) of the caudal skeleton in some populations. The size of the parhypural foramen and epural distance in the caudal skeleton, and the total number of vertebrae of the axial skeleton also showed variation. The results are the first information on osteological variation of P. sarana in Sri Lanka. Keywords : Geographic variation, olive barb, osteological comparison, Puntius sarana taxonomy. Doi: 10.4038/jnsfsr.v39i2.3172 J.Natn.Sci.Foundation Sri Lanka 2011 39 (2):121-128
Highlights
Puntius sarana Hamilton 1822 is a cyprinid fish widely distributed across the southern part of Peninsular India and in Sri Lanka (Jayaram, 1991, 1999; Talwar & Jhingran, 1991) and is the largest species of the genus in Sri Lanka (Pethiyagoda, 1991)
The present study revealed certain differences in osteology among the six geographic populations of P. sarana in Sri Lanka
A similar dorsal limb shape was found in fish from all Sri Lankan locations, except the Walawe River and the Menik River
Summary
Puntius sarana Hamilton 1822 is a cyprinid fish widely distributed across the southern part of Peninsular India and in Sri Lanka (Jayaram, 1991, 1999; Talwar & Jhingran, 1991) and is the largest species of the genus in Sri Lanka (Pethiyagoda, 1991). Valued as an edible fish in Sri Lanka, its distribution ranges from lowland waters up to an elevation of about 500 m, in clear, slow flowing rivers, streams and lakes with sandy, pebble and occasionally muddy bottoms (Pethiyagoda, 1991). It can tolerate brackish water conditions and strong currents (Kortmulder et al, 1990). Studies on intra-specific variation are important in problems of species delineation, as it is acknowledged that inadequate information on intra-specific geographic variation can lead to erroneous species descriptions (Ishihara, 1987).
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