Phenotypic Diversities of Four Populations of Clarias Gariepinus (Siluriformes, Clariidae) Obtained from Ogun and Ondo State Waterbodies in South-Western Nigeria

Abstract

The study determined the variation in the morphological and meristic features among four populations of Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822 obtained from Owena Dam and River Oluwa in Ondo State and Rivers Omo and Ogbere in Ogun State, both in Nigeria. A total of ninety five (95) and one hundred and twenty (120) fish specimens collected from Ondo and Ogun states respectively were measured using standard procedures and the results were analysed using Analysis of variance and multivariate analyses. The results obtained from the ANOVA and Principal Component Analyses of Clarias gariepinus from the four populations revealed heterogeneity for most of their characters. Therefore, the morphological differences between the wild African catfish found in Ondo and Ogun state populations could be linked to genetic differences or environmental factors or a combination of both factors. Hence, this study concluded that the populations are different which could imply high genetic diversity if molecular marker techniques are employed in further studies.