title: Karyological and molecular analysis of three endemic loaches (Actinopterygii: Cobitoidea) from Kor River basin, Iran.
abstract: This study provides new data on chromosomal characteristics and DNA barcoding of three endemic loaches of Iran: spiny southern loachCobitis linea(Heckel, 1847), Persian stream loachOxynoemacheilus persa(Heckel, 1848) and Tongiorgi stream loachOxynoemacheilus tongiorgii(Nalbant & Bianco, 1998). The chromosomes of these fishes were investigated by examining metaphase chromosome spreads obtained from epithelial gill and kidney cells. The diploid chromosome numbers of all three species were 2n=50. The karyotypes ofC. lineaconsisted of 4M + 40SM + 6ST, NF=94; ofO. persaby 20M + 22SM + 8ST, NF=90 and ofO. tongiorgiiby 18M + 24SM + 8ST, NF= 92. Sex chromosomes were cytologically indistinguishable in these loaches. Maximum likelihood-based estimation of the phylogenetic relationships based on the COI barcode region clearly separates the three Iranian loach species of the Kor River basin. All species distinguished by morphological characters were recovered as monophyletic clades by the COI barcodes. The obtained results could be used for population studies, management and conservation programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Esmaeili
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pirvar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehragan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.affiliation: Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Leibniz Institute for Animal Biodiversity, Adenauerallee, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: F Geiger
keywords: COI barcode region; Idiogram; Iran; Loaches; Phylogenetic relationships