Perch Mania
Perch Dissection by Melody Peng Pre-AP Biology Guzman P.6
Perca flavescens
The Perca flavescens or yellow perch, is a type of fish. It belongs to kingdom Animalia under the class Actinopterygii. It is a freshwater perciform fish native to much of North America. The yellow perch has a yellow to brass-colored body and distinct pattern, consisting of five to 9 olive-green, vertical bars, triangular in shape, on each side. Its fins are lighter in coloration, with an orange hue on the margins. The body is laterally compressed. The anterior portion of the body is deep, gradually tapering into a slender caudal peduncle. The opercle is partially scaled, and a single spine is present on the posterior margin.
Objectives
You will be learning about the both the external and internal anatomy of a yellow perch as well as its life cycle and habitats. Make sure to check out the vids!
Perch life cycle
- Eggs hatch in 11–27 days, depending on temperature and other abiotic factors.
- Yellow perch typically reach sexual maturity in 2–3 years for males and 3–4 years for females.
Where are the perch at?!
Habitat- Perch generally live under freshwater conditions.
The Enemy
Predators- larger fish, such as Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie; turtles, bullfrogs
Perch Dissection clip
External Anatomy
the main external features includes: the spiky & soft dorsal fin, caudal fin, anal fin, pectoral fin, operculum, and eye
Internal Anatomy
the main internal features includes: anus, stomach,intestines, liver, heart, gills, pharynx, esophagus,
swim bladder, and kidney.
The Digestive System
mouth-an opening that allows food mixed in with soils in
esophagus-muscular tube that pushes food to the crop
pyloric cecum-they may secrete trypsin and enzymes active in the intestines
stomach- breaks down food to nutrients
liver- secretes enzymes, stores carbohydrates and fats, destroys old blood cells
gall bladder-store and concentrate bile secreted
pancreas-secretes enzymes
intestine- final digestion and absorption of the food it eats
anus- eliminates undigested wastes through cloaca
The Digestive Sytem
The digestive system's specialized function is turning food into the energy and nutrients the perch needs to survive and packaging the residue for waste disposal . It is made up of the mouth, esophagus,pyloric cecum, stomach,liver,gallbladder, pancreas, intestine, and anus.
Fun facts
- they can grow to be 20 inches
- they contain gills
- they mostly feed on invertabrates
- spawning season is between April-May
works cited
facts- http://www.buzzle.com/articles/perch-fish-facts.html
yellow perch life- http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/yellow_perch.htm
perch- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_perch
dissection clip- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcXshN07Zwk