Scientific Sushi
Perch Dissection Pre Ap Biology April 8th 2014
Objective
The objective of this dissection is to learn about the internal and external structures of the perch.
Background Information
Taxonomy
The scientific name of a perch is Perca flavescens and it belongs in the Chordata phylum.Ecology
Perches live in areas near the shore with lots of vegetation to hide in. They eat larvae, crustaceans and small fish. Predators of the perch are usually larger fish, like the Walleye and Bluegill. Perches belong to the secondary consumer trophic level. Perch can live in fertile, eutrophic, and turbid water.
Evolutionary Adaptations
Perches have gills so they can breath underwater. They also have scales to protect the perch against predators. Perch can filter out zooplankton with filters located in their gills. They have also developed specialized fins to help them move around in the water.
Human Interactions
Water pollution like sewage, oil, and litter could harm the perches. Fishing can also harm them.
Dissection
System of Focus: Circulatory System
The circulatory system of a perch consists of the heart. The heart has one ventricle and one atrium. The atrium holds the blood while the ventricle pumps blood throughout the body. The blood is sent to the gills where it is oxygenated. After that, the blood gets sent throughout the body and then comes back to the heart and the cycle continues.
Cooperation between organ systems
The circulatory and the endocrine system work together because the blood that the circulatory system pumps helps transport the hormones from the endocrine system.
Videos
Bony Fish (Perch) Anatomy