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¹ Ichthyology and Molecular Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
² Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology & Geobiology, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333, Munich, Germany
³ Department of Fisheries, College of Natural Sciences, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Behbahan, Khuzestan, Iran DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v18_12_08 Viewed : 3885 - Downloaded : 2867 Among vertebrates, hybridization is common phenomena in cyprinid fishes particularly among closely related species/genera which share common habit and habitat (niche) requirements and desires. In this paper we report presence of two hybrids of Luciobarbus barbulus x Luciobarbus kersin and Luciobarbus barbulus x Luciobarbus xanthopterus from the Tigris River tributaries (the Persian Gulf basin), southwestern Iran. The hybrid specimens were identified on the basis of their intermediate morphological characteristics with the parent species and the position of them in the clade and close genetic distance with their maternal sequences. Our studies showed intermediate characteristics between putative hybrids and their parents. In the putative hybrid of L. barbulus and L. kersin, the general characteristics and morphometric measurements are similar to one parent especially paternal characteristics (L. kersin), although most of the meristic characteristics are similar to maternal characteristics (L. barbulus). The other putative hybrid between L. barbulus and L. xanthopterus show the general appearance for L. barbulus (the putative father) and some meristic characteristics were similar to L. xanthopterus (the putative mother). Low abundance of the hybrids shows that the hybridization might be a random event. Keywords : Cyprinidae, hybrid, morphological characteristics, Persian Gulf