Pirate perch

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Pirate perch
Aphredoderus sayanus sayanus.jpg
Pirate perch.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Percopsiformes
Suborder: Aphredoderoidei
Family: Aphredoderidae
Bonaparte, 1846
Genus: Aphredoderus
Lesueur in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1833
Species:
A. sayanus
Binomial name
Aphredoderus sayanus
(Gilliams, 1824)
Subspecies
  • Aphredoderus sayanus gibbosusLeSueur, 1833
  • Aphredoderus sayanus sayanus(Gilliams, 1824)
Synonyms
  • Scolopsis sayanus Gilliams, 1824
  • Aphredoderus sayanus sayanus (Gilliams, 1824)
  • Aphredoderus gibbosus Lesueur, 1833
  • Aphredoderus sayanus gibbosus Lesueur, 1833
  • Sternotremia isolepis Nelson, 1876
  • Aphrodedirus cookianus Jordan, 1877
  • Asternotremia mesotrema Jordan, 1877

The pirate perch (Aphredoderus sayanus) is a freshwater fish that commonly inhabits coastal waters along the east coast of the United States and the backwater areas of the Mississippi Valley. [2] [3] This species is often found towards the bottom of clear, warm water habitats with low currents. These fish are normally solitary, carnivorous, and nocturnal. The pirate perch is known to consume live mosquito larva, amphipods, glass shrimp, meal worms, small fish, dragonfly and stonefly larvae, and earthworms. [4]

Contents

The pirate perch is related to the trout-perches, but only loosely; it is the only species in its family, Aphredoderidae. The genus name, Aphredoderus, literally translates to "excrement throat" in Greek, referencing the unusual location of its anus in the throat region. [2] The specific name sayanus is a tribute to naturalist Thomas Say. [5] Charles C. Abbott gave the fish its common name after observing it eating only other fishes. [5]

Description

This small fish is up to 14 cm (5.5 in) in total length. [6] It is dark brown, sometimes with a darker band near the base of the tail. In young individuals the anus is located between the pelvic fins, but migrates forward as the fish grows, before it settles on the throat region. [7]

Pirate perch may be the only known animal to exhibit a chemical camouflage, or crypsis that is generalized and effective among a wide number of potential prey species. [8] [9]

Distribution

The pirate perch is a freshwater species found in temperate climates where the water temperature generally ranges from 5 to 26 °C (41–79 °F). [6] They are found most commonly in central and eastern North America. The pirate perch occurs in rivers of the Atlantic and Gulf slopes, the Mississippi Valley, and scattered parts of the eastern Great Lakes Basin. [10] The subspecies A. s. gibbosus occurs west of the Eastern Continental Divide and in the Gulf of Mexico basin west of the Mississippi River, while the nominate subspecies occurs along most of the Atlantic coast north of the Florida–Georgia border; intergrades are found from Florida to Mississippi. [11] : 323–324  Pirate perch once occurred in Pennsylvania, in the Delaware River drainage, [11] : 323, 338  but have since likely been extirpated, according to the Nature Conservancy. [12] The species may also be extirpated in Ohio. [11] : 338  Its geographic range is very limited in the United States, and the creation of dams and the increasing effects of urbanization are restricting the overall habitat size for the fish, which could eventually lead to this species becoming extirpated in some areas.

Ecology

These fish can be found in densely vegetated areas, places with woody debris, and underneath banks in root masses. Debris in deep water with undercut banks and slow inside flows are used more by this species. The area where the perch reside is dependent on their size, with medium to large perch occupying places that were more structurally complex than small ones. They are known to congregate in these areas to avoid predation from piscivorous birds, otters, or mink. [13] The pirate perch has nocturnal feeding habits; their diet consists of live mosquito larva, amphipods, glass shrimp, meal worms, small fish, dragonfly and stonefly larvae, and earthworms. [4]

Life history

Breeding occurs from October to December in Florida [14] and in Louisiana as early as February. [15] Most breeding occurs around early April until May, depending on latitude. [13] When breeding, pirate perch use underwater root masses as the microhabitat for their larvae. Females have been observed thrusting their heads into sheltered canals of underwater root masses and releasing eggs. The male perch then come to these sites, enter the canal head-first, and proceed to fertilize the eggs in the same manner they were laid. [13] Females can lay between 100 and 400 eggs, which is dependent on the body size. They are able to reproduce after one year, and can live up to four years in the wild. [16]

This species' method of breeding was misunderstood for quite some time due to difficulties in making in situ observations. [3] At first, the urogenital positioning of the pirate perch was speculated to serve to promote egg transfer to the fish's gill (branchial) chamber for gill-brooding. [13] However, the pirate perch was found to not brood bronchially; instead, they lay their eggs within underwater root masses which are then fertilized by the males. [13] [15] Nevertheless, a unique spawning behavior has been observed, which has been referred to as transbranchioral ("through the gill chamber"). When the eggs are laid, they are transferred directly from the urogenital to the gill chamber and then spat out through the mouth into the substrate. [17] Among fish, gill-brooding is only known from Amblyopsis cavefish. [18]

Current management

According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, some major threats that could affect their habitats could be siltation due to poor upland treatment. Since these fish reside in habitats with slight water current, a change upstream such as water channels, dams, or drainages could alter the flow of water in that system, which could change the rate at which water flows downstream. Water pollution as a result from agricultural runoff and discharge from urban areas can create environments unsuitable for these species. Ohio has expressed some interest in conserving the species due to the perch having such a small area it can inhabit in the northwestern part of the state. Besides Ohio, little concern has been shown about this species overall.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amblyopsidae</span> Family of fishes

The Amblyopsidae are a fish family commonly referred to as cavefish, blindfish, or swampfish. They are small freshwater fish found in the dark environments of caves, springs and swamps in the eastern half of the United States. Like other troglobites, most amblyopsids exhibit adaptations to these dark environments, including the lack of functional eyes and the absence of pigmentation. More than 200 species of cavefishes are known, but only six of these are in the family Amblyopsidae. One of these, Forbesichthys agassizii, spends time both underground and aboveground. A seventh species in this family, Chologaster cornuta, is not a cave-dweller but lives in aboveground swamps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warmouth</span> Species of fish

The warmouth is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) that is found throughout the eastern United States. Other local names include molly, redeye, goggle-eye, red-eyed bream, and strawberry perch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crypsis</span> Aspect of animal behaviour and morphology

In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal or a plant to avoid observation or detection by other animals. It may be a predation strategy or an antipredator adaptation. Methods include camouflage, nocturnality, subterranean lifestyle and mimicry. Crypsis can involve visual, olfactory or auditory concealment. When it is visual, the term cryptic coloration, effectively a synonym for animal camouflage, is sometimes used, but many different methods of camouflage are employed in nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal darter</span> Species of fish

The crystal darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. This small North American fish is found in small, moderate, and swift rivers in the drainage basins of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. It is now extirpated from a majority of its range along the Ohio River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern hogsucker</span> Species of fish

The northern hogsucker is a freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Catostomidae, the suckers. It is native to the United States and Canada where it is found in streams and rivers. It prefers clear, fast-flowing water, where it can forage on the riverbed for crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic insects, algae and detritus. It turns over small pebbles and scrapes materials off rocks and sucks up the particles, and other species of fish sometimes station themselves downstream from its activities. In addition this species also is common in flowing water near dams and other streams of water. Breeding takes place on gravel bottoms in shallow riffles in late spring. This fish is susceptible to such man-made disturbances as channelization, sedimentation, pollution, and dam construction. However, it has a wide range and is a common species so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern". This species only gets around 8-12 inches in length but given the right conditions can exceed 16 inches in length and even exceed a pound in weight. The Northern Hogsucker is typically a bronze to gold coloration with patches of brown and black on its body. It has brownish grayish eyes. It’s dorsal and pectoral fins are a dark brown color with the dorsal fin having a small bit of red on it as well. The northern hogsucker and other sucker minnow species have been seen in memes due to the unusual appearance of their mouths.

The Bayou darter is a rare species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to western Mississippi in the United States, where it is found only in Bayou Pierre and its tributaries. Its typical habitat is fast-flowing creeks and streams, in riffles and in areas between riffles with firm gravel bottoms. It feeds on small insects and their larvae. Breeding probably takes place twice a year, in spring and late summer. The population of this fish is declining due to loss of suitable habitat. This is caused by siltation and pollution, particularly erosion caused by changes in land use. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "endangered".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trispot darter</span> Species of fish

The trispot darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to northern Georgia and southern Tennessee in the United States, where it occurs in the Conasauga River and its tributaries and historically in the Alabama River system. It requires two interconnecting habitats; outside the breeding season it occupies the peripheral zones of the main river, with slow-moving water and silt gravel substrates with vegetation cover; during the breeding season it moves to warmer water with a clay-bottomed substrate with much vegetation. The population of this fish is declining due to loss of suitable habitat because of stream impoundment and land development. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "vulnerable".

<i>Lampsilis higginsii</i> Species of bivalve

Lampsilis higginsii is a rare species of freshwater mussel known as Higgins' eye pearly mussel or simply Higgins' eye. It is endemic to the United States, where it occurs in the upper Mississippi River and the drainages of some of its tributaries. It is threatened by the introduced zebra mussel. Lampsilis higginsii is a federally listed endangered species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rainwater killifish</span> Species of fish

The rainwater killifish is a small silvery fish with yellow flashes and diamond shaped scales that is widespread from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, through to Tampico, Mexico. It is commonly found in large numbers in fresh to brackish estuarine environments. It feeds on tiny crustaceans, mosquito larvae, small worms, and mollusks. It can reach up to 62 mm.

<i>Paetulunio fabalis</i> Species of bivalve

Paetulunio fabalis, the rayed bean, is a species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae, the river mussels. It is the only species in the genus Paetulunio, and was formerly classified in Villosa until a 2018 study.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluebreast darter</span> Species of fish

The bluebreast darter is a small species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States from New York and Illinois to Tennessee and North Carolina.

The stripetail darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States. It is found in small rivers and streams in the states of Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Males are a golden-orange color with black barring on the fins, and grow to a length of about 2.8 in (7 cm). This fish feeds on midge larvae and other small invertebrates. It breeds in the spring; eggs are attached to the substrate, often under slab rocks, where they are guarded by the male. The population trend of this fish seems to be stable and it is a common species with numerous sub-populations over a wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

The cypress darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to fresh waters of the central and eastern United States. Its range includes drainages from the Choctawhatchee River, Florida, to the San Jacinto River, Texas, as well as the Mississippi River basin from southern Illinois and eastern Oklahoma to the Gulf of Mexico. It inhabits vegetated margins of swamps and lakes, and backwater habitats during the summer, while in winter it moves to flooded riffles and backwater bayous. It feeds mostly on small crustaceans, as well as insects and their larvae. Spawning takes place during spring and summer, with clusters of up to three eggs being laid, often stuck to the surface of dead leaves. The cypress darter has a very wide range and its population trend seems to be stable. It is a common species with numerous sub-populations, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilt darter</span> Species of fish

The gilt darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It can be found in a number of states in the Mississippi River drainage of the United States although it has been extirpated from some river systems in which it was at one time present, mostly due to siltation and pollution problems. Males are more colorful than females and can grow to a length of about 9 cm (3.5 in). It is a benthic fish that feeds primarily on small aquatic insect larvae. Males form territories during the breeding season in late spring and early summer. Spawning typically takes place at the upper ends of riffles with sandy and gravelly bottoms interspersed with larger cobbles. Some organisations are endeavouring to conserve populations of the gilt darter and re-introduce it to states where the fish has been extirpated but suitable habitat still exists.

Percina shumardi is a benthic species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is native to North America. It is an inhabitant of small and medium rivers where it occurs in rocky riffles with clear, fast-flowing water. The river darter can reach up to 7.3 cm (2.9 in) in length and has an average lifespan of three years. It can be distinguished from other darters by its unique front and rear spots on the dorsal fin.

The olive darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is native to Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Georgia, in the United States. It is found in the headwaters of Tennessee River system and the middle reaches of the Cumberland River system, its ideal habitat being clear, cold water over rocky substrates. It grows to a length of about 5 in (13 cm) and is an insectivore, feeding mainly on insect larvae on the riverbed. The fish matures at age two and lives till about age four. Up to 1500 eggs are spawned which fall to the riverbed and get lodged among gravel. The olive darter is classified as a "vulnerable species", being affected by habitat destruction and siltation, often resulting from damming and impoundment of the rivers or the creation of weirs. It is also affected by the change in the forest riparian habitat resulting from the killing of trees by the hemlock woolly adelgid.

The saddleback darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is native to the eastern United States. This darter species is widespread, occurring from the Escambia River drainage west to the Mississippi River basin and as far north as the Wabash River historically. Some populations have been reported in the Tennessee River drainage. The saddleback darter is aptly named as it has 5 saddle-like patterns on its dorsum, with the first occurring near the first dorsal fin and the fifth near the caudal penduncle. Adults can attain a maximum size of about 3 inches or 7.8 centimeters. The saddleback darter typically occurs over sand and gravel runs of creeks and small to medium-sized rivers and is sometimes found in very shallow water. This darter's diet consists of invertebrates such as caddisfly larvae, beetles, mayflies, and stoneflies. The saddleback darter deposits eggs over sand and gravel shoals during the spring. This species has an average lifespan between 2 and 3 years.

<i>Amblyopsis</i> Genus of fishes

Amblyopsis is a genus of small fish in the family Amblyopsidae that are endemic to the central and eastern United States. Like other cavefish, they lack pigmentation and are blind. The most recently described species was in 2014. Uniquely among fish, Amblyopsis brood their eggs in the gill chambers. It was formerly incorrectly speculated that the same brooding behavior existed in other genera in the family and in the pirate perch. During the Pleistocene period, the modern Ohio river was a barrier of dispersal and created a great genetic variation, leading to two phylogenetically distinct lineages from the species Amblyopsis.

Percina aurora, the pearl darter is a small species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is native to the United States, where it is known only from Louisiana and Mississippi, but seems no longer to be present in the Pearl River. Its total area of occupation is under 200 km2 (77 sq mi), it is a rare species and a candidate for federal protection. It is threatened by siltation, pollution, habitat destruction and urbanization, and as a result, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified its conservation status as being "endangered".

Hennegoides is a genus of cnidarian that is part of the family Myxobolidae.

References

  1. ↑ NatureServe (2013). "Aphredoderus sayanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T202607A2746073. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202607A2746073.en . Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Aphredoderus sayanus summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
  3. 1 2 Boltz, J.M.; Stauffer Jr, J.R. (1986). "Branchial brooding in the pirate perch, Aphredoderus sayanus(Gilliams)". Copeia. 1986 (4): 1030–1031. doi:10.2307/1445309. JSTOR   1445309.
  4. 1 2 Parker, N.C.; Simco, B.A. (1975). "Activity patterns, feeding and behavior of the Pirate Perch,Aphredoderus sayanus". Copeia. 1975 (3): 572–574. doi:10.2307/1443661. JSTOR   1443661.
  5. 1 2 Becker, George C. (1983). Fishes of Wisconsin. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. p. 735. ISBN   0-299-08790-5.
  6. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Aphredoderus sayanus". FishBase . July 2017 version.
  7. ↑ Fishes of Arkansas (p)
  8. ↑ Resetarits Jr., William J.; Binckley, Christopher A. (2013). "Is the pirate really a ghost? Evidence for generalized chemical camouflage in an aquatic predator, pirate perch Aphredoderus sayanus" (PDF). The American Naturalist. 181 (5): 690–699. doi:10.1086/670016. PMID   23594551. S2CID   26747440. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  9. ↑ Resetarits Jr., William J.; Pintar, Matthew R. (2016). "Functional diversity of non-lethal effects, chemical camouflage, and variation in fish avoidance in colonizing beetles" (PDF). Ecology. 97 (12): 3517–3529. Bibcode:2016Ecol...97.3517R. doi:10.1002/ecy.1593. PMID   27912024.
  10. ↑ Boltz, J.M.; Stauffer Jr, J.R. (1993). "Systematics of Aphredoderus sayanus (Teleostei: Aphredoderidae)". Copeia. 1993 (1): 81–98. doi:10.2307/1446298. JSTOR   1446298.
  11. 1 2 3 Burr, Brooks M.; Warren, Jr., Melvin L. (2020). "Chapter 22, Aphredoderidae: Pirate Perches". In Warren, Jr., M.L.; Burr, B.M.; Echelle, A.A.; Kuhajda, B.R.; Ross, S.T. (eds.). Freshwater Fishes of North America. Vol. 2. Illustrated by Joseph R. Tomelleri. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 322–339. ISBN   978-1-4214-1202-3 . Retrieved 13 April 2023– via U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
  12. ↑ NatureServe (7 April 2023). "Aphredoderus sayanus". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Fletcher, D. E.; Dakin, E. E.; Porter, B. A.; Avise, J. C. (2004). "Spawning behavior and genetic parentage in the pirate perch (Aphredoderus sayanus), a fish with an enigmatic reproductive morphology". Copeia. 2004: 1–10. doi:10.1643/ce-03-160r. S2CID   37827490.
  14. ↑ McLane, W.M. 1955. The fishes of the St. Johns River system. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Florida, 361 pp.
  15. 1 2 Fontenot, Q. C.; Rutherford, D. A. (1999). "Observations on the reproductive ecology of pirate perch Aphredoderus sayanus". Journal of Freshwater Ecology. 14 (4): 545–549. Bibcode:1999JFEco..14..545F. doi:10.1080/02705060.1999.9663712.
  16. ↑ Pflieger, W'. 1975. The Fishes of Missouri. Missouri: Missouri Department of Conservation.
  17. ↑ Poly, W.A. & J.E. Wetzel (2003). "Transbranchioral spawning: novel reproductive strategy observed for the pirate perch Aphredoderus sayanus (Aphredoderidae)". Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters. 14 (2): 151–158.
  18. ↑ Armbruster, J.W.; M.L. Niemiller & P.B. Hart (2016). "Morphological Evolution of the Cave-, Spring-, and Swampfishes of the Amblyopsidae (Percopsiformes)". Copeia. 104 (3): 763–777. doi:10.1643/ci-15-339. S2CID   53608365.
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