Osteological and molecular analysis of three Sicilian populations of Aphanius fasciatus (Teleostei, Cyprinodontidae)

The study of three Sicilian populations of Aphanius fasciatus was carried out by examining the mitochondrial control region and the morphology of the bony elements of the skull and vertebral column. The osteological and molecular data obtained indicate a marked differentiation between the populations examined resulting from their isolation, even if the dendrograms of the two approaches are dissimilar. Molecular investigations show that populations are characterized by haplotypes that are well defined in relation to the limited gene flow; while the osteological investigation may account for appreciable environmental influences on the morphological characters.