VARIABILITY OF MERISTIC AND BIOMETRIC FEATURES OF CRUCIAN CARP Carassius carassius (Linnaeus 1758)

Andrzej Szczerbowski; Zdzisław Zakęś; Marek J. Łuczyński; Maciej Szkudlarek

Andrzej Szczerbowski
Zdzisław Zakęś
Marek J. Łuczyński
Maciej Szkudlarek

Keywords: DWARF CRUCIAN CARP, MERISTIC FEATURES, BIOMETRIC FEATURES

Abstract

Comparative analysis of meristic and biometric features of dwarf (“M”) and normally growing (“D”) populations of crucian carp, Carassius carassius (L.), was carried out.

Fish of “M” group had average number of 25.4 gill rakers and 31.88 vertebrae. They also had one row of pharyngeal teeth in 4-4 arrangement. Numbers of fin rays were described by the formula: D III-IV, 17-19; A II-III, 5-8; P I, 12-14; V I-II, 6-8, and scale number: 32 ^7-8/_7-8 35. “D” population had 29.4 gill rakers on the first left branchial arch, 32.03 vertebrae, and one row of pharyngeal teeth in 4-4 arrangement. Fins were characterised by the formula: D III-IV, 17-20; A II-III, 5-8; P I, 11-15; V I-II, 5-8, and scales: 32 ^7-8/_7-8 35.

Fish of “D” group had strongly convect backs (x₇), higher minimum body height (x₈) and width (x₉), and larger fins D (x₁₀), A (x₁₂) comparing to the “M” fish having longer head (x₂) and longer fins P (x₁₅) and V (x₁₄).