Microstructural characterization of the body key scale morphology in six Iranian endemic Aphanius species (Cyprinodontidae): Their taxonomic and evolutionary significance

Histomicroscopy and normal anatomy of the adult killifishAphanius hormuzensis(Teleostei; Aphaniidae) from the Persian Gulf coastal environment

“…In contrast, the scales of the closely related brackish water species A. stoliczkanus have 8-11 (mean 10.0 AE 0.78) primary radii, a small, rounded and posterocentrally positioned focus, and few spines in the posterior region (Teimori, 2018). The presence of spines in the posterior region of the scale has also been reported in the brackish water species A. ginaonis (Teimori et al, 2017). However, spines are also present at the scale of A. pluristriatus, which is a freshwater species (Gholami et al, 2013; see also Esmaeili et al, 2014).…”

“…Some scales are also rounded in shape. The scales in fresh water species of the genus Aphanius are mostly rounded in shape (see also Teimori et al, ), but polygonal scales occur as well and have been reported from the freshwater species A. farsicus , A. pluristriatus , and A. sophiae (Gholami et al, ). Accordingly, both polygonal and rounded scales are present in the freshwater and brackish water species of Aphanius , but it seems that the typical polygonal shape is more common in the brackish water species (Teimori et al, ).…”

“…However, spines are also present at the scale of A. pluristriatus , which is a freshwater species (Gholami et al, ; see also Esmaeili et al, ). But it seems that the presence of spines at the posterior region of the scales is more common in the brackish water species of Aphanius than in the freshwater species (see also Teimori et al, ).…”

“…In addition, several authors have documented that morphological characteristics related to hard structures can provide important taxonomic and phylogenetic information in Aphanius species, the studied hard parts included scales (Gholami, Teimori, Esmaeili, Schulz-Mirbach, & Reichenbacher, 2013;Teimori, 2018;Teimori, Motamedi, & Manizadeh, 2017), the urohyal bone (Teimori, Motamedi, & Iranmanesh, 2018), jaw teeth (Teimori, Esmaeili, Erpenbeck, & Reichenbacher, 2014), and otoliths (e.g., Reichenbacher, Sienknecht, Küchenhoff, & Fenske, 2007;Reichenbacher, Kamrani, Esmaeili, & Teimori, 2009;Teimori et al, 2012;Teimori, Esmaeili, et al, 2018).…”

Digital light microscopy to characterize the scales of two goatfishes (Perciformes; Mullidae)

“…In ichthyological studies, general morphology of scales and their microstructures are used to categorize fishes and accordingly provide additional data to discriminate different groups of extinct (e.g., Giordano, Arratia, & Schultze, 2016) and extant fishes (Ferrito, Pappalardo, Fruciano, & Tigano, 2009; Gholami et al, 2013; Jawad, 2005; Khosravi, Shaker Golmakan, & Teimori, 2017; Teimori, 2016; Teimori, Motamedi, & Golmakan, 2017; Teimori, Motamedi, & Manizadeh, 2017). Most of these studies aimed to provide a wide range of valuable scale characters that can reflect a clear taxonomic status.…”