MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION BETWEEN RED MULLET POPULATIONS IN GREECE

Morphometric variation in 15 characters of the red mullet Mullus barba tus samples from seven Greek localities was examined using multivariat e analysis. ANOVA, stepwise discriminant analysis and cluster analysis revealed a rather high morphological variability between the populati ons studied. The discriminant analysis revealed that about 80% of the examined fish could be correctly classified into the seven areas. This variability could be explained in terms of genetic structuring of the populations and/or environmental conditions prevailing in each geogra phic area in combination with fish migration and egg/larvae transporta tion from one area to another. The results suggest that multivariate a nalysis when combined with other important biological parameters of re d mullet may have important implications for the management of the Gre ek demersal fish resources. (C) 1998 The Fisheries Society of the Brit ish Isles.