Geometric morphometric approach to understand the body shape variation in the pony fishes (Leiognathidae) of Odisha Coast, India

Landmark-based geometric morphometric (GM) analysis was carried out in the present study on the species of the family Leiognathidae. Pattern of shape variation along the axes of the principal components and canonical variates were analyzed after the General Procrustes analysis. Canonical variates analysis confirmed the occurrence of eleven species of the family Leiognathidae along the Gopalpur-on-Sea, Odisha coast. Further, inter-specific shape variation among the species of the family were carried out using Discriminant function analysis, which would help us to understand the morphological divergence with respect to shape.