Abstract :
The present study aimed to compare morphometric measurements of different populations of Ocnera sparsispina in Egypt. A multivariate comparison of morphometric differences was undertaken by eyepiece micrometer on five different ecogeographical regions from Egypt fall under; Western Mediterranean Coastal Desert, Western Desert Oases, El Faiyum Depression, Nile Delta, and Sinai. Seventeen absolute morphometric characters and 4 ratios for 412 specimens undertaken. Traits best corresponding to the distinction of populations were distinguished by cluster analysis and the linear discriminant analysis. The first and second discriminant scores (score1 and score2) recorded 77.3% and 22.7%, respectively, of the total variation in samples. Multiple discriminant analysis revealed clear morphometric differences between the Ocnera sparsispina populations collected from 5 different ecogeographical regions of Egypt, and they are clustered in two discrete groups
Keyword :
Darkling Beetles; Cluster analysis; Linear Discriminant Analysis; Desert Oases; Sinai; Egypt