All About the Perch
Perch Dissection Pre-AP Biology Period 2 - Bowen Song
Perca flavescens/fluviatilis/schrenkii
Perch are carnivorous and are most commonly found in small ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers. They feed on smaller fish, shellfish, and insect larvae and are usually born during the springtime.
Perch are adapted to have rough, tough scales on a long and rounded body. Most commonly sought after by fishermen, they are used mostly for sport and food.
Objectives
Perch Circulatory System
Getting more in depth
Parts of the perch circulatory system: artery, arteriole, capillary beds, venule, vein, heart (atrium/ventricle), artery, gill capillaries
Function: The perch has a closed circulatory system where the blood doesn't flow freely around the body of the fish into cavities, rather, the perch is like most vertebrates and has no open cavities for which the blood can flow. The perch circulatory system provides oxygen to the organs of the body. It is interrelated to all body systems because the perch body systems need oxygen rich blood to function and create energy.
The perch heart consists of one atrium and one ventricle. Oxygen-poor blood is pumped through the heart and then to the lungs. After it is oxygenated, it goes directly to the tissues, where it is carried by the veins back to the heart to have the cycle repeated again.
Ecological Presence
When introduced to non-native areas, these carnivorous fish can dominate local species.