Vol. 49 No. 4, 2010

Landmark-Based Morphometric and Meristic Variations of the Endangered Carp, Kalibaus Labeo calbasu, from Stocks of Two Isolated Rivers, the Jamuna and Halda, and a Hatchery

Mostafa A. R. Hossain*, Md. Nahiduzzaman, Debasish Saha, Mst. U. Habiba Khanam, and Md. S. Alam

Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Mostafa A. R. Hossain, Md. Nahiduzzaman, Debasish Saha, Mst. U. Habiba Khanam, and Md. S. Alam (2010) Landmark-based morphometrics were examined to evaluate the population status of the endangered carp, kalibaus Labeo calbasu, collected from 2 isolated rivers (the Jamuna and Halda) and a hatchery.  Morphometric characters along with truss network measurements and meristic counts were applied.  Significant differences were observed in four (maximum body height, pre-orbital length, peduncle length, and maxillary barbel length) of 12 morphometric measurements, two (pectoral fin rays and scales above the lateral line) of 9 meristic counts, and four (8 to 9, 3 to 10, 2 to 10, and 1 to 11) of 22 truss network measurements among the stocks.  For morphometric and landmark measurements, the 1st discriminant function (DF) accounted for 75.5% and the 2nd DF accounted for 24.5% of the among-group variability, and together they explained 100% of the total amonggroup variability.  For the morphometric and truss network measurements, plotting DFs revealed high isolation of the stocks.  The dendrogram based on morphometric and truss distance data placed the Jamuna and hatchery in 1 cluster and the Halda in another cluster, and the distance between the Halda and hatchery populations was the highest.

Key words: Landmark, Morphometrics, Meristics, Fish stock, Labeo calbasu.

*Correspondence: Tel: 880-1711-045364.  Fax: 880-91-61510.   E-mail:marhossain@yahoo.com