Abstract
AbstractThe active geology and ecological diversity in the Persian Gulf drainages create a rich source of biodiversity for the tooth‐carp fishes from which evolutionary processes can be studied. Here, we explored morphological differentiation in tooth‐carp Aphaniops hormuzensis from three ecologically diverse habitats (Khurgu sulphuric spring, Shur high‐salinity river and the urban canal) in the Hormuz riverine system, southern Iran. The evidence of sexual dimorphism was found in fish and otolith traits mainly in the Khurgu spring. The extreme conditions of the Khurgu spring could lead to the microhabitat segregation by fish individuals with different ages and spatial sexual segregation, and caused high intrapopulation differentiation in this site. However, the most diverged population belonged to the urban canal, which had more elongated pre‐ and post‐dorsal lengths, as well as a deep otolith. In sum, the observed phenotypic variations in A. hormuzensis are mainly influenced by sex‐dependent factors such as sexual dimorphism and the specific ecological condition of the Khurgu sulphuric spring (extreme sulphur‐rich habitat) and the urban canal (high food availability and hybridization event). This study provides the basic opportunity to explore the relative roles of ecological divergence and habitat differences in the morphological differentiation of A. hormuzensis.
Published Version
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