• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 1994

In the course of an investigation on the morphological variation of Korean striped bittering, Acheilognathus vamatsutae Mori, two kinds of morrholoflical types were found. Some morphological characters were compared between them and multivariate analysis was conducted. Since the difference of the barbel length between them was very significant (p < 0.01,1-test), they should be designated as L-and 5-type Hshes: fishes with long barbels and those with should barbels, respectively. Lateral line scales, snout length and prepectoral length showed a tendency that the observation could be distinguished from each other (p < 0.05, Duncan's multiple range tests. There were no individuals over 70 mm BL in S-type and so S-type fishes were somewhat dwarf than L-type fishes. The two types were also clearly distinguished by multivariate analyses using cluster and discriminant analyses. According to the observation on the four populations of the Naktong River, the blue-green stripe on the body side and the white band on the margin of anal fin in males of S-type fishes were well developed through the year but those of males of L-type fishes completely disappeared or became slender during nonbreedins season as that of females. Of the seven localities surveved, there were no places that the two types cohabit. S-type fishes are limited only in the Kumho and Wichon River of the Naktong River system but L-type fishes are distributed more widely In the Hongchon, Mangvons, Somjin, Mirang and Panbyon River.