Comparative taxonomic study comparing Carassius spp. and Cyprinus carpio in the al-Hindiya dam of Babylon province, Iraq

Abstract EN

Studying the nature of fish species and their environmental factors is important in understanding the reality of fisheries.

The current study included totally (43 fish samples), which were subjected to examination and diagnosis collected from the Ai-Hindiya dam in the district of Musayib within the province of Babylon, and for a period of six months (15/10/2018) to (15/4/2019).

Fish were classified using dichotomous keys.

22 morphological traits were studied.

After diagnosis, fish samples were stored in 70% ethanol in appropriate glass cans.

The results of the statistical analysis showed no significant differences between the mean values of most of the morphometric characteristics between the two species of fish included in the study.

Also results showed that there were significant differences (P< 00.05) in the interorbital distance (11.76 ± 1.49 mm) in Carassius auratus, (2.98 ± 27.25 mm) in Cyprinus carpio, and in the number of lateral line scales (29) in the Carassius auratus, and (36) in Cyprinus carpio, as well as a distinct difference was the loss of barbels in Carassius auratus, which considered a specific quality character that distinguish it from the common carp, which has a couple of them.