Morphological Comparison of Northern (Salvelinus malma) and Southern (Salvelinus curilus) Dolly Varden Chars (Salmoniformes, Salmonidae)

Authors: Romanov NS*

DOI: 10.23880/izab-16000281

Volume 4, Issue 2

Abstract

A morphological comparison of Northern (Salvelinus malma) and Southern (Salvelinus curilus) Dolly Varden chars was performed for 31 plastic and 8 meristic characters. Significant differences were observed in 24 plastic and 7 meristic signs, and in 29 cases the differences were highly significant (P > 0.999). In 11 cases, the differences reach the subspecific level- CD>1.28. Along the length of the upper jaw, there is a chiatus at the limits of variation of the index, and this is already at the level of the species. All this indicates significant differences between these samples and, once again, confirms the species status of southern Dolly Varden - Salvelinus curilus.

Keywords: Chars; Northern Dolly Varden; Salvelinus malma (Walbaum, 1792); Southern Dolly Varden; Salvelinus curilus Pallas, 1814; Plastic and Meristic Signs; Kamchatka; Sakhalin

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