OBSERVATIONS ON THE THREE ALLOPATRIC POPULATIONS OF THE MALUTI MINNOW, OREODAIMON QUATHLAMBAE (BARNARD) WITH NOTES ON ITS EVOLUTION, ECOLOGY, SPAWNING, AND CONSERVATION

Abstract

Meristics and pigmentation of specimens of Oreodaimon quathlambae from the three known populations were compared to determine whether the species has experienced divergent evolution. Pigmentation was found to vary substantially but meristics counts did not. A proposal is made-to recognise three varieties of the species: Tsoelika-na, Senqu, and Moremoholo.