Phenetic relationships between gobies (Gobiidae) based on traits of external morphology

Abstract

Multivariate analysis that eccompassed five Euro-Mediterranean species (Gobius spp. and Zosterisessor ophiocephalus) and five Ponto-Caspian species (Neogobius spp. and Proterorhinus marmoratus) of gobies and was based on 37 external morphometric characters revealed that phenetic relationships between gobies mainly do not conform to their systematic and zoogeographic status. Only one character, the interorbital distance, could be classified as zoogeographically discriminative. The phenetic closeness between systematically and zoogeographically distant species is likely to be determined by their affinities for a similar type of habitat, with the prominent discriminative role of characters describing the caudal peduncle. The results imply that special attention should be paid to estimation of the role of homoplasy in the evolution of these gobiid taxa.