Morphometric Analyses of Phenotypic Plasticity in Habitat Use in Two Caspian Sea Mullets

To understand the functional meaning of morphological traits in exploitation natural resources, it is necessary to develop a quantitative, meaningful scheme for understanding ecophenotypes; this will facilitate management and conservation, which are most pressing challenges vulnerable aquatic environments. In context, cryptic very similar species more challenging, because difficulty distinguishing them determining their frequency sympatry, even though they do not necessarily have same ecologies. As such, order how similarities associated with ecology, thirteen morphometric characteristics related body landmark-based geometric morphometries, sagittal otolith morphology, shape were examined mature Chelon auratus saliens, collected from coastal waters southwest Caspian Sea between October 2020 April 2021. Univariate multivariate analysis variance conducted evaluate potential differences species. The analyses highlight C. identify potentially helpful using interspecific distinction these mullet, can reflect similarity an important component community ecology.