title: Overlapping patterns of morphometric and genetic differentiation in the Mediterranean goby Pomatoschistus tortonesei Miller, 1968 (Perciformes, Gobiidae) in Tunisian lagoons.
abstract: The genetic and morphological variations of Pomatoschistus tortonesei Miller, 1968 were studied in samples collected from three Tunisian lagoons. The morphological analysis included 18 morphometric measurements and was based on linear discriminant analysis (LDA), whereas the genetic analysis was based on the 16S-rRNA and COI mitochondrial genes. Both analyses differentiated the populations and demonstrated consistently a well-supported differentiation between the western Mediterranean samples (Bizerta and Tunis South lagoons) and the eastern Mediterranean sample (El Bibane lagoon). The observed differentiation could be explained in terms of the geographic isolation of the various populations and the influence of environmental factors, which differ greatly between the different sites. The molecular results revealed that the populations are characterised by unique haplotypes which are well defined in relation to limited gene flow and restricted dispersal abilities. Additionally, it seems that local selective pressures have modelled biometrical variation. Morphological results can reflect a differential habitat use revealed in the cephalic features and a different response to hydrodynamic constraints developed in dissimilar dorsal and pelvic fin lengths.
authors: Unité de Recherche de Biologie, Ecologie et Parasitologie des Organismes Aquatiques, Département de Biologie, Tunis El Manar 2092, Tunisia.
authors: Randa
authors: R
authors: Mejri
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Lo Brutto
authors: Nesrine
authors: N
authors: Hassine
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Arculeo
authors: Oum Kalthoum
authors: OK
authors: Ben Hassine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D014644:Genetic Variation; D010473:Perciformes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype