Scanning electron microscopy of scale and body morphology as taxonomic characteristics of two closely related cyprinid species of genus Capoeta Valenciennes, 1842 in southern Iran

Comparative morphology and the microstructures of scales were studied in order to evaluate their possible contribution to taxonomic discrimination of two closely related cyprinid species, Capoeta saadi and Capoeta mandica in southern Iran. The results revealed certain features of fish body (mouth shape and the number and shape of gill rakers) relevant to taxonomic significance. Moreover, some characters related to scale morphology and microstructures (location of focus, inter-radial space, and number and type of radii, shape and size of lepidonts and tubercles) were considered important for discrimination of these species. Such a study will give necessary information for identification of fish species, particularly during field study and for the fossil materials, where no molecular data are available, and of specimen which are deposited in the museum.