Title: Preliminary osteological studies on the Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.,1758) from the Hornsund region (Spitsbergen)
Abstract: l'oJmd A preliminary osteological analysis of 48 individuals of the Arctic chm, Salvelinus alpinus (L., 1759) was performed within the framework of a comprehensive study of the species in the area of Hornsund (Vest Spitsbergen).The Arctic chm in the area were found to have 63-67 vertebrae (64.3 on the average).Variability of the size and shape of skull bones was subject to a preliminary anal ysis in terms of their diversification.The con• siderable differences in the appearance of the bones could have been caused, apart from the sexual dimorphism, by a conside rable variation in length and age of the individuals examined.Malformations in the backbone and skull bones were observed in the sample.