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 indicatea marked differentiation between the populations examined resulting from their isolation, even if the dendrograms of the twoapproaches are dissimilar. Molecular investigations show that populations are characterized by haplotypes that are well definedin relation to the limited gene flow; while the osteological investigationmay account for appreciable environmental influences onthe morphological characters.