Preliminary results of morphological variability of the genus Pseudophoxinus [Teleostei, cyprinidae ] in Tunisian freshwaters

Abstract

This paper aimed to study the morphological variability of several Pseudophoxinus populations in Tunisian freshwaters, by 2 statistical methods. The first one unvaried allowed distinguishing the species Pseudophoxinus punicus which is individualized higher numbers of gillrakers and scales on the lateral line compared to the other individuals who constitute a more or less homogeneous group corresponding to the complex Pseudophoxinus callensis / Pseudophoxinus chaignoni. The second method which combined the morphological and ecological factors allowed to distinguish off P. punicus from the others and also to gather the populations which have similar ecological factors, highlighting their effect on the Pseudophoxinus populations distribution. Thus, this study allowed us to gather that genus Pseudophoxinus should be formed by two species: punicus and callensis, waiting for a molecular study to confirm that.