Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 3 (2): 222-228 (2008)

Morphological differentiation of Artemia urmiana Günther, 1899 (Crustacea: Anostraca) in different geographical stations from the Urmia Lake-Iran

Alireza Asem*¹ and Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani²

1) Protectors of Urmia Lake National Park Society (NGO), Urmia, Iran
2) Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Razi University, 67149 Kermanshah, Iran

Abstract:

The main objective of this study was to compare morphological differentiation between samples of Artemia urmiana in different stations from Urmia Lake. Male and female samples were analyzed separately because they are sexually dimorphic. Principal Components Analysis shows that male samples were almost clustered in two groups and these groups were separated. This finding was also confirmed by Discriminant Function Analysis. According to Principal Components Analysis the female samples were almost clustered in one group in all sites and it was not possible to make any separation among them. But Discriminant Function Analysis shows 2 separated groups. Therefore, according to morphological characters, there are minimum two populations of Artemia urmiana in the Urmia Lake.

Key word: Artemia urmiana, Urmia Lake, Iran, morphological differentiation, Principal Components Analysis, Discriminant Function Analysis