Morphometric Traits Research Articles

Phenotypic attributes and production performances of Agonda Goan pig

The aim of study was to evaluate morphometric traits, growth and reproduction performance of indigenous Agonda Goan pigs reared under coastal climate which supports livelihood development of resource poor farmers. Population size in breeding tract varied depending on farmers’ preference for breeding and consumers’ demand for pork. Data (n=74) on different parameters were recorded both from farmer’s flock and institute pig unit. Body measurements such as body length, height at withers, chest girth and neck girth of both were measured using measuring tape. The body weights at different ages i.e., birth, weaning and monthly interval up to one year of age were recorded using digital weighing balance. The average body length, chest girth, height at withers and neck girth were 102.68±3.22 cm, 99.86±3.64 cm, 58.32±1.19 cm and 73.09±4.18 cm, respectively. The mean bristle yield (g/cutting), bristle length(cm) and bristle diameter (micron) were 38.08±5.85, 4.45±0.04 and 268.21±9.84 in males, and 88.16±16.95, 5.69±0.07 and 270.93±11.07 in female pigs, respectively. The mean weight at birth was 0.59±0.01 kg and at weaning was 3.76±0.12 kg. The yearling weights of adult male and female were 46.58±4.50 and 47.27±6.46 kg, respectively. The average litter size at birth and at weaning was 7.21±0.41 and 5.93±0.28, respectively. Pre-weaning and postweaning growth rates were 79.25±9.86 and 153.85±13.34 g/day, respectively. This unique germplasm has potential for sustainable production with improved pig breeding programs. However, the breed is under constant threat due to indiscriminate crossbreeding with unbalanced admixture and replacement with exotic breeds for which immediateconservation and improvement programs are essential to save the breed.

Morphometric Traits of Pote Goats Raised in Lowland Areas of Madura Island

This study aimed to investigated the morphometric characteristics of Pote goats, a local Indonesian goat breed found in Bangkalan Regency, East Java Province. A total of 139 respondents participated in the study, providing 622 female and male Pote goats aged over three months as research materials. This study employed a descriptive research method, including surveys and interviews, to retrieve data using purposive sampling technique. Quantitative data, such as body weight and body size, were analyzed descriptively using the average and standard deviation. Qualitative data, including body color, facial shape/profile, horns, beard, papillae, rewos fur, and udder shape, were analyzed using phenotypic frequency. The findings of this study revealed that Pote goats in Bangkalan are a small type of local Indonesian goat based on the body weight of an adult female and a large type based on shoulder height. Body weight and body size were found to increase with age. Furthermore, the dominant qualitative characteristics of Pote goats in Bangkalan include white color on the body, convex facial profile, drooping and widened ears with relatively short size, straight right and left horns, mane ruff, no papillae, and jug-shaped udder.

Improvements in morphometric and structural traits of Vitex trifolia L. to exogenous application of nano-silicon in vitro

The present study aimed to analyze the effect of silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) on the in vitro proliferation of shoots, biomass production, foliar micro-structural features, and root-inducing ability in Vitex trifolia L. Bud breaking was achieved from axillary meristems on 2.5 mg L−1 of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) in Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium. The shoots were proliferated (18.0 ± 0.39 shoots) on 0.75 mg L−1 BAP with 0.2 mg L−1 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Among the varied concentrations of Aerosil300 (hydrophilic silica) used, 6.0 mg L−1 SiNPs with optimal growth regulators into the medium had a positive impact on shoot proliferation (24.0 ± 0.30 shoots) and fresh biomass production. The light microscopic evaluation showed that the leaves developed without SiNPs possessed underdeveloped cuticle, trichomes, stomata, epidermal cells, and photosynthetic and vascular tissues. The SiNPs treatment resulted in well-differentiated tissue systems and favored an increase in width of the lamina, differentiation of palisade and spongy tissues, thickening of cell walls, increased density of trichomes, organized guard cells in stomata, and improved xylem and phloem tissues. The shoots were effectively rooted on half-strength MS medium containing 3.0 mg L−1 NAA, and the shoots derived from SiNPs treatment had the highest rooting efficiency (8.0 roots per shoot). The findings highlight that the use of SiNPs significantly promoted tissue systems and morphology of V. trifolia, which favored the survival of plantlets under in vivo conditions.

Description of three new species of the genus Cobitis L., 1758 (Actinopterygii, Cobitidae) in the Iberian Peninsula

Three new species, Cobitis almadae sp. nov., Cobitis atlantica sp. nov., and Cobitis mellaria sp. nov. are described on the basis of morphological and genetic traits. Cobitis almadae sp. nov. is restricted to the Sizandro Drainage in Portugal and can be distinguished from other Cobitis species through a combination of morphometric and genetic traits including large and low peduncle depth, lateral ethmoid (suborbital spine) well developed with long narrow mediocaudal, laterocaudal and mediorostral processes, an elongated and narrow frontoparietal fontanel and a wide third Gambetta’s zone sprinkled with numerous black spots. Furthermore, two autapomorphies are found within its mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Cobitis atlantica sp. nov. inhabits the northern Atlantic rivers of the Iberian Peninsula from the Minho Drainage to the Alcoa Drainage and can be differentiated from other Cobitis species through a set of morphometric and genetic traits including short and high peduncle depth,a well-developed lateral ethmoid (suborbital spine) with short and wide mediocaudal, laterocaudal and mediorostral processes, wide frontoparietal fontanel, and developed ventral pigmentation in adult individuals. In females, the Gambetta’s fourth row has 10-16 blotches reaching the ventral pigmentation in the caudal region and the third Gambetta’s zone is narrow with black spots. Cobitis mellaria sp. nov inhabits the Valle Drainage in southern Spain and is distinguished from other Cobitis species through the following morphometric and genetic traits: low peduncle depth, lamina circularis with convex outer edge, lateral ethmoid (suborbital spine) with short laterocaudal process and large mediorostral process, elongated frontoparietal fontanel, no ventral pigmentation in adults. In females, Gambetta’s fourth row has 10-15 blotches. One autapomorphy is found within the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of Cobitis mellaria sp. nov.

Widespread butterflies follow inconsistent trends in the Bergmann's rule and flight morphometry: Implications for conservation in the Western Himalaya

The Bergmann's rule relating eco-geographic pattern in body size of species with latitude/elevation, remain unexplored among different animal taxa including insects from the Indian Himalayan Region that ranges in elevation and environmental conditions. The applicability of the rule was tested using body size data set of natural adult male populations of six butterfly species that were common in abundance and occur over a range of elevations in the Western Himalaya. The influence of changes in body size on flight related morphometry was also explored to understand the adaptative and dispersal strategies of the species across elevations. Among the various morphometric traits, the principal component analysis revealed that the forewing length was the most reliable measure of determining the body size clinal pattern in butterflies. Species Danaus chrysippus, Danaus genutia and Vanessa indica strongly followed the Bergmann's rule, while Papilio polytes followed the converse Bergmann's rule. By contrast, Pieris brassicae and Catopsilia pomona exhibited a moderate clinal pattern and partially followed the converse of the rule. The flight related morphometric indices namely, wing load and aspect ratio varied among species and showed no regular pattern along elevational gradients. The results suggested inconsistent trends in intra-specific morphometric variations of widespread butterfly species, crucial to comprehend their conservation strategies in the Western Himalaya.

Morphometrical Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Rhinonyssidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) Parasitizing Avian Hosts: New Molecular Data.

Members of the family Rhinonyssidae are tiny hematophagous endoparasitic mites that inhabit the nasal cavities of birds and can cause trauma to their hosts. Traditionally, identifying species in this group has relied on observing their morphometrical characteristics. Nevertheless, determining species within this particular group has become more challenging due to the rising number of newly discovered species. Moreover, the morphometrical traits vary depending on the specific genus or group of species being studied. In this study, the complete internal transcribed spacer ITS1, 5.8S rDNA, and ITS2 regions of the ribosomal DNA from eighteen species of rhinonyssid mites belonging to four genera were sequenced to assess the utility of this genomic region in resolving taxonomic questions in this group and to estimate the phylogenetic relationships among the species. Mites were collected by dissecting the nasal cavities of birds under a stereomicroscope. Specimens used for morphometrical analyses were cleared in 85% lactic acid for 1-48 h and mounted in Hoyer's medium. Other specimens were preserved at -20 °C for molecular studies. From the data obtained in this study, it can be concluded that a thorough review and an accurate morphometrical identification and determination of the discriminatory traits are needed in this group of mites. Moreover, although the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 fragment solves different taxonomic and phylogenetic problems at the species level, it would be necessary to test new molecular markers, or even a combination of nuclear and mitochondrial markers or different domains of the nuclear 28S rDNA, to discover a reliable taxonomic situation for rhinonyssids.

Dominant plants mediate effects of grazing on soil nematode traits in a wet meadow grassland

Grazing is an integral disturbance in grassland ecosystems, however, its effects on belowground ecosystems are poorly understood. As the extent and quality of grasslands continue to decline around the world, metrics are required to monitor the effects of grazing on the function of rangeland soils. Soil nematodes are an important group of soil biota used to understand soil function. However, traditional approaches that rely on indices based on life-history information of soil nematodes have been supplemented in recent literature with trait-based analyses. Here, we test how changes in the structure and composition of soil nematode communities relate to grazing. We collected and measured morphological and reproductive traits of dominant genera of soil nematodes in a wet meadow grassland in Manitoba, Canada, to test how grazing alters trait profiles of nematode communities. For ten genera of soil nematodes, representing 80 % of community abundance, we measured morphometric traits, including body length and mass and used published literature to collect data describing reproductive traits. Communities of free-living nematodes were dominated by bacteriovore and root feeding genera and grazing intensity decreased the richness, diversity, and evenness of soil nematode communities. However, we observed no significant differences in the feeding structure of nematode communities based on the timing or intensity of grazing and no effect of grazing on mean trait values of the most abundant genera of soil nematodes. In contrast, changes in the community weighted means of nematode traits were strongly related to the abundance of dominant vegetation. We discuss the potential effects of changes in soil nematode communities on the function of wet grassland soils. Results from our research indicate that sustainable management and restoration of wet meadow rangelands must consider the impacts of grazing intensity on soil function and that plants play a key role in structuring the soil nematode communities belowground.

Phenotypic characterization of Harar and Ogaden cattle breeds of Ethiopia: The first step for conservation

Fourteen morphological and eight morphometric traits on a total of 456 adult cattle (354 cows and 102 oxen) from five purposively selected districts were recorded to characterize the cattle populations in eastern Ethiopia. Frequency, general linear model, and multivariate analysis procedures of Statistical Analysis Software (SAS 9.0) were used to analyze the data. The morphological similarities among the cattle populations from Tulo, Jarso, and Fedis districts confirm the presence of a unique cattle breed which was previously referred to as Harar cattle. The same was observed for the cattle populations from Jigjiga and Kebri Beyah districts which were previously referred to as Ogaden cattle. The Harar cattle are characterized by their forward-oriented, widely spaced, and medium-length horns while the Ogaden cattle possess upright-oriented, narrowly spaced short horns. The majority of the Ogaden cattle had gray body color while the Harar cattle possess multiple body colors where red and its combination with white and black colors are observed frequently. Most of the morphometric measurement values were higher for the oxen, while the cows had longer horns. Moreover, Ogaden cattle had higher morphometric measurement values than the Harar cattle. According to the multivariate analysis results the cattle populations in the study area were separated into two breeds; the Harar and Ogaden. However, these results only showed the phenotypic differences which might not necessarily be due to genetic differences. Therefore, further genetic characterization is recommended to understand their level of relationships which in turn helps to design conservation and breeding programs.

Morphometric traits of Dorcus parallelipipedus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) larvae and adults: can differences between populations be ruled out?

Summary Stag beetles are saproxylic insects that live in deadwood colonised by fungi and other microorganisms. Due to the cryptic habits of these species, little is known on their biological aspects, especially for the immature stage. In this study, we investigated morphometric traits of lesser stag beetle, Dorcus parallelipipedus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) larvae and adults, with comparisons between populations. Instar identification by measuring larval head capsule was performed, and the relationship between larval body mass and head capsule width was investigated for each surveyed population. To assess the differences among populations, the scaling relationships for adults between their body and mandibles length was also considered, especially for adult males. Morphometric relationships were described by exponential equations. Differences between populations were sometimes limited to one or the other feature, and particularly ascribed to the larval body mass. These differences could be imputed to several factors, among with those of environmental or genetic order. The scaling relationship of lesser stag beetle adult males showed a positive allometry but did not differ among populations, indicating that morphological traits within a species and sex may be biologically retained. Findings are discussed from the perspective of D. parallelipipedus life history.

Morphometric versus genetic variation in the Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus in Italy

ABSTRACT Capsule The Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus from breeding sites in Italy has little genetic variability in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene but shows morphological variation suggesting isolation of some populations. Aims To investigate the morphometric and genetic trait variation of Eurasian Reed Warbler populations at a large temporal and spatial scale. Methods We analysed morphometric traits and the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene of samples collected over 25 years, from populations at seven sites across the Italian peninsula and islands. Results While we found no genetic differences, we detected significantly smaller body sizes in individuals breeding in Sicily and Sardinia compared to those from mainland Italy. There were also significant body size differences between two Sicilian populations: one larger breeding on the southern coast and the other smaller at an inner highland site. Conclusion The morphometric data, together with the site fidelity of individuals, are consistent with there being isolation of some populations. Specifically, our results are consistent with an example of polyphenism, morphological plasticity, in the populations of the main Italian islands, Sicily and Sardinia.

Responses of diversity and morphometric traits of ground beetles to soil chemical properties in industrial city of China

Industrial and agricultural activities result in the direct release of contaminants into soil, which alters and destructs the habitats of soil biota. Clarifying the effects of soil contamination on soil organisms can provide a theoretical basis for the conservation of soil organisms. In this study, 3 nonmetal elements (total C, total N, total P), 5 light metal elements (total K, Ca, Mg, Al, Na), 5 heavy metal elements (Fe, Hg, Pb, Mn, Zn) and soil pH, and 18 morphological traits of carabid species were analysed to explore the responses of spatial variation of species diversity, community composition and morphometric traits to differences of soil chemical properties in four sites (Cement Plant, Coal Coking Plant, Village and Nature Reserve) in Gujiao City, the largest coking coal production city of China. In total, 1095 carabid beetles representing 59 species were recorded, with the greatest richness and activity abundance of ground beetles were found in Cement Plant and the largest species diversity was found in Coal Coking Plant, Nature Reserve contained carabid assemblages distinct from the other three sites. As for species distribution, 14 soil chemical properties could be associated with 43.2% of the observed variation, with soil Zn, N, Ca and Mn being the most important in explaining the spatial variation of the species. Changes in the type of economic activity had a significant influence on the 18 morphometric traits of carabid species, species of Coal Coking Plant and Nature Reserve had larger morphological traits than the other two sites. Variations in morphometric traits showed a significant correlation with soil chemical properties, especially body wide and profemora length, with 14 soil factors explaining more than 60% of their variance. Soil Mg, Mn, total N and pH value contributed the most in explaining morphometric traits variability of ground beetles. In summary, changes in soil chemical properties due to industrial and agricultural activities have led to carabid species diversity, community and morphometric traits changes. Soil health management is prerequisites that contribute to conserve soil biodiversity and function in industrial areas.

Tethered-flight performance of thermally-acclimated pest fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) suggests that heat waves may promote the spread of Bactrocera species.

Thermal history may induce phenotypic plasticity in traits that affect performance and fitness. One type of plastic response triggered by thermal history is acclimation. Because flight is linked to movement in the landscape, trapping and detection rates, and underpins the success of pest management tactics, it is particularly important to understand how thermal history may affect pest insect flight performance. We investigated the tethered-flight performance of Ceratitis capitata, Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae), acclimated for 48 h at 20, 25 or 30 °C and tested at 25 °C. We recorded the total distance, average speed, number of flight events and time spent flying during 2-h tests. We also characterized morphometric traits (body mass, wing shape and wing loading) that can affect flight performance. The main factor affecting most flight traits was body mass. The heaviest species, B. dorsalis, flew further, was faster and stopped less often in comparison with the two other species. Bactrocera species exhibited faster and longer flight when compared with C. capitata, which may be associated with the shape of their wings. Moreover, thermal acclimation had sex- and species-specific effects on flight performance. Flies acclimated at 20 °C stopped more often, spent less time flying and, ultimately, covered shorter distances. Flight performance of B. dorsalis is greater than that of B. zonata and C. capitata. The effects of thermal acclimation are species-specific. Warmer acclimation temperatures may allow pest fruit flies to disperse further and faster. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Polymorphism of the callipyge gene in an Albanian sheep breed and association with body weight

The callipyge (CLPG) gene is a candidate gene associated with meat production in sheep. The purpose of the study was to identify the association of polymorphisms in the 3'UTR of the CLPG (MEG3) gene in Albanian sheep breed with morphometric traits and body weight. A total of 87 individuals were studied regarding the morphometric traits and the polymorphisms of 3'UTR of the CLPG (MEG3) gene. The frequency of the mutated allele (T) was 0.339. The less frequent genotype was TT. The population was in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. The fixation index was 10.2% indicating a moderate level of inbreeding. The results indicated no significant effect of this locus on morphometric traits and body weight. The preliminary data provided in this study suggest that the nucleotide change in the 3′UTR can be used in marker-assisted selection to increase the body weight of animals.

Seasonal incidence, population dynamics and morphometric traits of exotic coconut whiteflies in southern Tamil Nadu

Survey was conducted at fortnightly intervals to assess the intensity of damage caused by the invasive whiteflies in coconut in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu viz., Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari from December 2020 to August 2021. Among the four districts, Kanyakumari recorded the highest whitefly incidence (56.30%), whereas, Tenkasi showed the lowest infestation (48.83%). Two whitefly species viz., rugose spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin and bondars nesting whitefly (BNW), Paraleyrodes bondari Peracchi were observed in all the surveyed districts. The rugose spiralling whitefly nymphs and adult populations were found to be highest in Kanyakumari (49.46 nymphs/leaflet; 36.99 adults/leaflet) and lowest in Tenkasi (32.76 nymphs/leaflet; 26.71 adults/leaflet). Similarly, the population of bondars nesting whitefly nymphs and adults were highest in Kanyakumari (35.31 nymphs/leaflet; 34.84 adults/leaflet), whereas, the lowest nymphal population was observed in Tenkasi (22.79 nymphs/leaflet) and adult population in Thoothukudi (24.19 adults/leaflet). In morphometric analysis, length and breadth of egg (0.24 ± 0.03 mm and 0.13± 0.02 mm), nymphal (0.83 ± 0.08 mm and 0.38 ± 0.04 mm), pupal (1.08 ± 0.09 mm and 0.70 ± 0.09 mm), adult (female: 2.59 ± 0.09mm, 1.71 ± 0.14 mm; male: 2.27 ± 0.21 mm, 1.30 ± 0.05 mm) was recorded for A. rugioperculatus and egg (0.15 ± 0.02 mm and 0.08 ± 0.01 mm), nymphal (0.46 ± 0.02 mm and 0.36 ± 0.02 mm), pupal (0.59 ± 0.16 mm and 0.41 ± 0.09 mm), adult (1.09 ± 0.08 mm and 0.73 ± 0.07 mm) for P. bondari.

Leaf morphometric variation among the different natural sources ofCinnamomum zeylanicum Blume. in Uttara Kannada district

Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume., native to Sri Lanka and the West coast region of India, belongs to the familyLauraceae.True cinnamon leaves are valuable NTFP and also used for the commercial extraction of essential oil. Theprotogynous dichogamy of the cinnamon flower is a natural adaptation for cross-pollination. An enormous diversity ofCinnamon has been produced by this special type of pollination behaviour. Thus, the current study aimed to determine theextent of morphological variation within and among the sources. The study was conducted during the period of 2020-22 atthe various sites in the Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka. Sixty phenotypically superior cinnamon trees were selectedamong the six different natural sources, for the evaluation of five leaf morphometric parameters. In this study, the dark greencoloured leaves were predominately expressed in all six sources and all tree had only green coloured petiole. Five types ofleaf shape viz., elliptic, oblong, ovate, ovate-elliptic and ovate lanceolate and four types of leaf apex (acuminate, acute, sub-acute and obtuse) were noticed among the six sources. Elliptic leaf shape and acuminate leaf tip was predominantlyexpressed. Leaf morphometric traits could be easily used to measure the magnitude of the diversity

Synopsis of the species of Monocystis von Stein, 1848 (Apicomplexa: Gregarinomorphea: Arthrogregarida) pathogenic to earthworms described so far.

A synopsis of the species of Monocystis (Apicomplexa: Gregarinomorphea: Arthrogregarida) is presented, including a total of 114 species of worldwide. The most significant morphological and morphometric traits for each species are included together with information on the type-host, type locality, the infection site within the host and the original references. This checklist enumerates total Monocystis spp. in a place described so far in the worldwide pattern.

Morphometric traits and stepwise regression of indigenous sheep in southwestern region, Ethiopia

This research was carried out to characterize differences in morphometric features and assess the effectiveness of various linear body measures in forecasting the live weight of local sheep grown in Bench Sheko zone, southwestern Ethiopia. Purposive followed by random sampling procedures were used, to choose the potential samples. Qualitative trait, body weight, and linear body measurements were taken from 660 sheep. Plain (69.8%) and patchy (16.7%) coat color patterns were predominant in both districts. The bulk of the sheep in the research locations had narrow tails, short hair, horned males, dark red coat colors, Cylindrical and turned up at the tip tail shape, straight head and back profile, and sloping rump profile. Live weight and linear body measurements are significantly influenced by age, sex, sex-age interaction, and location. The mean body weight, heart girth, wither height, body length, ear length, tail length, rump height, rump length, rump width, and scrotal circumference were, 28.4 ± 0.15 cm, 75.5 ± 0.18 cm, 64.0 ± 0.12 cm, 62.8 ± 0.14 cm, 11.1 ± 0.06 cm, 28.2 ± 0.20 cm, 64.8 ± 0.12 cm, 20.8 ± 0.05 cm, 16.6 ± 0.06 cm and 26.1 ± 0.16 cm respectively. Heart girth was the best correlated with the sheep of different age class in both the districts. The greatest predictor of body weight (BW) was heart girth (HG) along with other linear body measurements. Therefore, HG was found to be the most significant factor influencing the bulk of the changes in BW, indicating that it could be utilized as a valid estimator for the sheep breed investigated. Genetic improvement must be prioritized since indigenous sheep in the study area have a large body frame.

Comparative Morphological Analysis of Pellonula Leonensis Fished from Isaba Creek and New Calabar River, Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

The samall-toothed pellonula, Pellonula leonensis is ecologically and economically important. It is good source of protein to rural coastal and riverine communities because of its taste. Despite the economic significance, information on its biology are scarce. We evaluated the morphometric and meristic traits of the species from two water bodies in the Niger Delta Region. The population obtained from ISABA Creek, Delta State were significantly (P˂0.05) smaller in all the morphometric traits analysed relative to the population from New Calabar River with the exception of Pectoral Fin Length (PFL) and Pelvic Fin Length (PvFL). The range of total length, TL and weight respectively of 3.70-8.52cm (X ̅=5.14±0.034cm) and 0.20-3.40g (X ̅=0.75±0.022g) for ISABA Creek population and 6.5-9.80cm (X ̅=8.35±0.06cm) and 1.7-7.30 g (X ̅=3.84±0.083g) for New Calabar River population was observed. The range of meristic characters significantly differed between the two waters bodies (p<0.05). The observed intraspecies differences could be attributed to environmental variables, fishing pressure and genetic factors. This study reveals the need for developing conservation strategies and domestication programs for species distributed in different water system.

Discriminant Analysis Approach in Morphometric Differentiation and Characterization of Serbian Autochthonous Goats.

This study investigated the possibility of using morphometric measurements to differentiate the autochthonous Serbian White goat breed from Saanen and Balkan goats, which were used as sire and dam breeds in its creation. For this purpose, a multivariate discriminant analysis was used. A total of 11 morphometric traits were measured in 98 does of 3 breeds: Saanen (n = 28), Balkan (n = 28), and Serbian White (n = 42), aged 2 to 7 years, in 4 different locations. Univariate analysis of variance revealed a significant difference in body measurements of all three breeds, with Saanen goat being the largest in format and Balkan the smallest. Discriminant analysis extracted six out of eleven tested morphometric traits with the strongest discriminatory power: heart girth, head length, chest depth, head width, pelvic width, and body length. Mahalanobis distances were significant between all three genetic groups. The discriminant function correctly classified 95.24% of the Domestic White goats investigated to their source group. The classification accuracy of the function was cross-validated and indicated an overall success rate of 91.84%. The results of this research showed that there was a clear separation between Serbian White, Saanen, and Balkan goats. The present findings could help a more rapid field assessment of Serbian White goats.

Morphometric Characterization of Local Goat Breeds in Two Agroecological Zones of Burkina Faso, West Africa

In Burkina Faso, goats are the second most numerous ruminant livestock population, with almost exclusively indigenous breeds being reared in extensive production systems in various agroecological zones. This study was carried out to understand the morphological variation of local goat breeds in the Sudano-Sahelian and Sudanian agroecological zones. A total of 511 adult female animals belonging to two presumed populations (Mossi breed in Sudano-Sahelian zone and Djallonké breed in Sudanian zone) were sampled and body weight as well as a range of linear body measurements, following FAO guidelines, were recorded. The least squares means of body measurements of indicated that Sudano-Sahelian goats have significantly (p < 0.001) larger body measurements than Sudanian goats. Furthermore, relative high variability of the two populations in morphometric traits was observed. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) suggested structure between Mossi breed on one side and Djallonké on the other side, but no strict separation was observed, suggesting that gene flow is occurring among the different populations. A dispersion map with four clusters was built based on the first two factors. The least square means of body measurements ranked the four groups from small to large body size, namely Djallonké, Mossi × Djallonké, Mossi, and Sahelian × Mossi. Gene flow from Sahelian goat into other populations of the country, based on migration of the Fulani ethnic group from the Sahel into areas with Mossi and Djallonké breeds, could explain this configuration and confirms the continuous erosion of genetic identity of these two local breeds. The sustainable use of these adapted local goat genetic resources calls for the promotion of sustainable genetic improvement using participatory breeding approaches.