Original Article Open Access The Biometric and Cytochrome Oxidase sub unit I (COI) Gene sequence Analysis of Syngnathus abaster (Teleostei:

The black-striped pipefish, Syngnathus abaster, is a species of the Syngnathidae family. This study provides data on the morphometric, meristic and genetic structuring of the Caspian Sea pipefish, Syngnathus abaster. Eight morphometric characteristics based on total length and five morphometric characteristics based on standard length were analyzed. A total of 50 specimens were collected in brackish-water biotopes. The average of total length (LT) and standard length (LS) were 102.37 mm and 98.68 mm, respectively. Also in this study, DNA barcodes were expanded for Caspian Sea Black-striped pipefish, hence 652 base-pair of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene was sequenced in accordance with standard DNA barcoding protocols. Since Pipefish (S. abaster) is one of the most endangered fishes in the Caspian Sea, information about its phylogenetic relationships are very rare; therefore, DNA barcoding will give a more accurate picture of the future persistence of Black-striped pipefish populations. Key words: Black-striped pipefish, morphometric and meristic, DNA barcoding, Caspia