Morphometric and Meristic Variation of Indigenous and Thai Koi, Anabas testudineus Available in Coastal Region of Bangladesh

Abstract

Morphological variation between indigenous and Thai koi (Anabas testudineus) was investigated by univariate analysis of 19 morphometric and 12 meristic characters. Sample of indigenous koi was collected from different household pond of Dumki upazilla under Patuakhali district and Thai koi from port road fish market of Barisal sadar upazilla under Barisal district. A number of 20 individuals from each stock were randomly selected and morphometric and meristic data were recorded. Allometric method was used for size adjustment of morphometric characters. Univariate analysis of variance revealed significant variation (p<0.01) between indigenous and Thai koi in respect of morphometric characters i.e SL, HL, HBD, PostOL, ED, HDF, HPcF, HPvF, HAF, LDFB, LAFB and UJL as well as meristic characters i.e. DFS, DFR, PvFR, AFS, and SOLL. Nonparametric Kruskal wallis (H) test also revealed significant variation both in morphometric and meristic characteristics of indigenous and thai koi. Hierarchical cluster analysis of morphometric characters showed a high divergence between the populations while the meristic characters did not show such type of divergence. The morphometric and meristic differences appeared between the two populations may be due to their genetic differences and/or environmental factors or these are two sub species of the genus Anabas.