The Iranian cichlid Iranocichla hormuzensis , the only member of cichlidae family in Iran is widely distributed in Hormuz basin rivers such as Mehran and Khorgo Spring. Considering the importance of the genetic variation and population structure for management and conservation of species especially native fish, the genetic diversity of Iranian cichlid was investigated using morphological and molecular techniques. In this study 30 specimens of Iranian cichlid were collected from each of the two locations, Mehran river and Khorgo Spring. Morphological investigation included 13 truss land-marks and 13 meristic traits. For the analysis of data resulted from land-marks and meristic traits, principal component analysis and non-parametric U-Manwithni test were used, respectively. Two populations could be separated based on morphological analysis. Significant differences among nine land-marks and four meristic traits were observed (t-test, p 0.05). For molecular study, DNA was extracted using ammonium acetate method from fin clips and/or apart of bodies, 30 samples from each stations. The DNA quality was examined by electrophoresis on 1% agaros gel and painted with ethidium bromide. PCR amplification was performed using four pairs of microsatellite primers (OS7R, OS25, OS7 and OS64) at annealing temperature 53-59.9. PCR products electrophoresed on 12% achrylamid gel and painted with silver nitrate. Calculations was done using GenAlex.6 software. All loci were polymorphic. Number of the observed alleles at all loci were in the range of 4-9. Average number of observed alleles in Khorgo spring and Mehran river were 5 and 5.75 respectively. The number of effective alleles at all loci was in the range of 1.90-5.84. Average number of effective alleles in Khorgo Spring and Mehran River were 3.96 and 3.63 respectively. Allel sizes at OS7R, OS25, OS7 OS64 loci were in the range of 78-94, 76-96, 104-150, 38-68 respectively. The mean of observed heterozygosity in Khorgo Spring and Mehran River were 0.78 and 0.60 respectively. The mean of expected heterozygosity in Khorgo Spring and Mehran River were 0.71 and 0.68 respectively. Resuts showed deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at five (OS7R, OS25 and OS64 loci in Khorgo Spring and OS7R and OS64 loci in Mehran river) out of eight studied loci. Increase of observed heterozygosity towards expected heterozygosity at OS7, OS25 and OS64 loci in Khorgo spring and OS7 locus in Mehran river, low (3%) genetic segregation between population, high (97%) genetic diversity within population and high (10.76) noticable gene flow were colculated. Genetic identity and genetic distance between two populations were 0.88 and 0.12, respectively. Genetic Key Words: Iranian cichlid, Iranocichla hormuzensis , morphology, microsatellite, genetic diversity, Hormozgan.
