Temperate perch
Encyclopedia
Perciformes
The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, is one of the largest orders of vertebrates, containing about 40% of all bony fish. Perciformes means perch-like. They belong to the class of ray-finned fish and comprise over 7,000 species found in almost all aquatic environments...
or perch-like fishes.
The name Percichthyidae derives from the Ancient Greek words Perca for 'perch' and ichthyos for 'fish' and translated basically means perch-like fishes.
Classification
The temperate perches are closely related to the temperate basses of the MoronidaeMoronidae
Temperate Bass is in the Family PercichthyidaeHow to know the freshwater fishes Samuel Eddy, James C. Underhill.Moronidae, also known as the "temperate basses", is a family of perciform fish consisting of 6 freshwater and marine species...
Family, and older literature treats the latter as a belonging to the Percichthyidae Family. Australian freshwater Percichthyids were once placed in the Serranidae (marine grouper) family, and the two families are considered to have some link to each other.
Around 22 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of Percichthyids are now recognised, grouped in around 11 genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
. Most but not all are freshwater fishes. They are mainly found in Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, though some (notably genus Siniperca) are native to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, and some of the marine species are found as far north in the Pacific as California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Species
AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
has the greatest number of Percichthyid species, where they are represented by the Australian freshwater cods (Maccullochella spp.), which are Murray cod
Murray Cod
The Murray cod is a large Australian predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family. Although the species is a called cod in the vernacular, it is not related to the northern hemisphere marine cod species...
, Mary River cod
Mary River cod
Mary River cod are a Maccullochella cod found in the coastal Mary River system of southern Queensland, Australia...
, eastern freshwater cod
Eastern freshwater cod
Eastern freshwater cod, Maccullochella ikei, also known as eastern cod, are a large and striking predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family, that occur in the coastal Clarence River system of north-eastern New South Wales...
and trout cod
Trout Cod
The trout cod or bluenose cod, Maccullochella macquariensis, is a large predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family which was originally found in the south-east corner of the Murray-Darling river system in Australia...
, by the Australian freshwater blackfishes (Gadopsis spp.), which are river blackfish
River Blackfish
The river blackfish, is an Australian native freshwater fish of the Murray-Darling river system, found from southern Queensland through to central Victoria. It is also found in some eastern and southern flowing coastal rivers...
and two-spined blackfish
Two-spined blackfish
The two-spined blackfish, Gadopsis bispinosus, is an Australian native freshwater fish. It is a speciated, more specialised upland variant of the river blackfish, Gadopsis marmoratus....
, and by the Australian freshwater perches (Macquaria spp.), which are golden perch
Golden perch
The golden perch, Macquaria ambigua, is an Australian native freshwater fish, primarily of the Murray-Darling river system. It is not a true perch of the genus Perca....
, Macquarie perch
Macquarie perch
The Macquarie perch is an Australian native freshwater fish of the Murray-Darling river system. It is a member of the Percichthyidae family and is closely related to the golden perch ....
, Australian bass
Australian bass
Australian bass are a small to medium sized, primarily freshwater native fish found in coastal rivers and streams along the east coast of Australia. They are a member of the Percichthyidae family and, currently, the Macquaria genus. Australian bass are an iconic, highly predatory native fish...
and estuary perch
Estuary perch
The estuary perch, Macquaria colonorum, is an Australian species of the Percichthyidae family.It is very similar to and very closely related to its sister species the Australian bass, Macquaria novemaculeata...
.
Several other Australian freshwater species also sit within the Percichthyidae Family while research using mitochondrial DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
suggests the species of the Nannopercidae family are in reality Percichthyids as well. Australia is unique in having a freshwater fish fauna dominated by Percichthyids and allied families/species. This in contrast to Europe and Asia whose fish faunas are dominated by members of the Cyprinidae carp family. (Australia does not have a single naturally occurring Cyprinid species; unfortunately the illegal introduction of carp has now established the family's presence in Australia.)
A number of species are or have been important food species; some of these (e.g. the Murray cod
Murray Cod
The Murray cod is a large Australian predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family. Although the species is a called cod in the vernacular, it is not related to the northern hemisphere marine cod species...
, Maccullochella peelii peelii) have become threatened through overfishing and river regulation, while others (e.g. the Chinese perch, Siniperca chuatsi), are now farmed to some extent. Some smaller species (e.g. Balston's pygmy perch
Balston's Pygmy Perch
The balston's pygmy perch is a species of perch-like fish in the Percichthyidae family.It is found only in Australia.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. . Downloaded on 20 July 2007....
, Nannatherina balstoni) are popular in aquaria
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
.
The extremely rare Bloomfield River cod
Bloomfield River Cod
The Bloomfield River cod is a very small fish in the Guyu genus and the Percichthyidae family that is only found in an 11 kilometre stretch of the Bloomfield River in North Queensland, Australia...
, Guyu wujalwujalensis, is only found in a short stretch of the Bloomfield River in north Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.