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A Comparative Morphometric Analysis of the Azov Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus maeoticus Pusanov, 1926) and the Black Sea Anchovy (E. encrasicolus ponticus Alexandrov, 1927) Based on Body Shape

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Abstract

A comparative analysis of body shape was performed on 841 specimens of anchovy collected from 21 catches from the Sea of Azov, the Kerch Strait, and the Black Sea off Crimea and the northeastern coast of the Caucasus in 2006–2007 and 2016–2017. Twenty-three measurements between 12 homologous landmarks of the body of each specimen according to the Truss Network System served as characters for analysis. Fifteen characters showed significant differences between the Azov anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus maeoticus Pusanov, 1926 and the Black Sea anchovy E. encrasicolus ponticus Alexandrov, 1927. Specimens of the Azov subspecies had larger relative values for all characters of the head region, the height of the trunk region, the relative length of the bases of the dorsal and anal fins, and the height of the base of the caudal fin. Specimens of the Black Sea subspecies had a greater postdorsal length and a larger distance from the end of the dorsal fin base to the end of the anal fin base. A multivariate principal component analysis revealed the highest variability of characters of the body height, which depends on the body condition of the fish and demonstrates seasonal dynamics. The second group combines characters that do not have a seasonal component (dimensions of the head region, lengths of the bases of the dorsal and anal fins, and postdorsal distance) and can be used for distinguishing the shape of the Azov and Black Sea anchovies. The success rate of classification of Azov and Black Sea anchovies according to the body shape measurement characters using discriminant analysis was 83.4%.

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Funding

This research was carried out within the framework of the state assignment (project “Functional, Metabolic and Toxicological Aspects of Aquatic Organisms and Their Populations in Biotopes with Different Physicochemical Regimes”), state registration no. 121041400077-1.

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  1. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences, 299011, Sevastopol, Russia

    M. V. Chesalin & V. N. Nikolsky

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  1. M. V. Chesalin
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  2. V. N. Nikolsky
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Correspondence to M. V. Chesalin.

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Translated by T. Koznova

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Chesalin, M.V., Nikolsky, V.N. A Comparative Morphometric Analysis of the Azov Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus maeoticus Pusanov, 1926) and the Black Sea Anchovy (E. encrasicolus ponticus Alexandrov, 1927) Based on Body Shape. Russ J Mar Biol 49, 87–96 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063074023020049

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