Family of percid fish: names, description. Ordinary ruff. The Volga pike perch. River perch

Okuniformes - the largest group of fish, numbering more than 10 000 species, distributed over different water bodies of the planet. Among the most common are the group of percid fish. Part of the species has pelvic fins, which are located under the thoracic or in front of them. The fins are perforated, usually with spines. The number of rays is not more than six. The bases of the pectoral fins are placed obliquely or perpendicular to the axis of the body. Perciformes lack a fat fin. The swim bladder is not connected with the intestine or is completely absent. The detachment includes 160 families and 20 suborders.

What kind of fishes are referred to the group of percids

In the fresh and saline waters of the Northern Hemisphere, a family of percids occurs:

• In Europe, with the exception of North Scotland, Spain and Italy;
• In Norway, Greece;
• In North Asia, not counting Kamchatka and Chukotka;
• in North America.

The dorsal fin is divided into a soft and prickly part, in some individuals they are combined, and in others they are located separately. Bristly-shaped teeth on the jaws are placed in several rows, and some have even fangs. The gill membranes are free of the isthmus. The scales consist of thin, round, translucent plates with a jagged outer edge. The perch family includes ten genera and more than one hundred species, 7 of which inhabit the reservoirs of Russia. More widely distributed are perch, followed by walleye, brush and chop.

In the Azov-Black Sea basin catch a perch-gingerbread man and percarin, as well as chop. An ether, a percinus, and an ammocrite can be found in North America.

Family Okuni

There are three species of perch: river (common), yellow and Balkhash.

River perch is one of the most popular fish species. It lives in most water bodies, as well as in mountain lakes, which are at an altitude of several thousand meters.

The perch has a bright coloration - a deep green back, and sides with dark stripes of a yellowish-green hue. Pectoral fins are yellow, and ventrals are reddish. Orange hue round eyes. The color of an ordinary perch depends on the environment, for example, in forest lakes, it acquires a dark color.

Sexually mature females become after three years, and males are already in one or two years. Caviar females lay on silt, driftwood. The eggs are 200-300 thousand, the amount depends on the size of the female.

Freshly born perch inhabit the coastal zone, trying to stay together, and feed on zooplankton. The predator of a young perch becomes when his body grows to a length of 10 cm, and then he begins to eat small fish.

For pike, perch, perch is considered easy and delicious prey.

Ordinary perch constitutes the bulk of all the catch in some water bodies. It is eaten with pleasure. The perch is very gluttonous, therefore fishermen catch it throughout the whole year with various tackles.

Perca flavescens, Perca schrenkii

Yellow perch in all respects is very similar to the river one. It lives in the east of North America and is considered a significant object of sport fishing.

Balkhash perch, in contrast to the river bass, has an elongated body. He has no dark spots on the dorsal fin. Balkhash perch is a predatory fish, which gladly eats small fish, but does not disdain with its own fry. The perch grows not fast, grows to a length of up to 50 cm and weighs up to one and a half kilograms.

Perch is considered commercial fish. It is dried, smoked, frozen.

The genus of zander

The genus of zander has a long body, the lateral line captures the caudal fin. Pelvic fins widened widely, and jaws, as a rule, are present on jaws.

There are the following types:

• ordinary;
• Bersh;
• nautical;
• Light-colored;
• Canadian.

Pike-perch has about 20 branched rays, which are on the dorsal fin. Strong fangs are on the jaws. There is a very large fish, weighing 11 kg and a length of 115 cm. Most of the pike perches are 60 cm long and weigh 3 kg. Sudak - the largest species of the percid fish family - is widely known and popular in the waters of the Baltic, Azov and Caspian seas. The back is grayish, on the sides there are black stripes.

Pike perch and semi-passages are two biological forms. The first prefers pure lakes and rivers. Comfortably feels at a water temperature of 16-17 degrees. Brook prefers brackish water. Approximately 90% of the total catch comes from a semi-migratory pike perch. Eggs small and prolific. Enemies: perch, eel, pike. River zander is considered a valuable commercial fish.

Sander volgensis

Volzhsky pike perch (bersh), unlike the ordinary, does not have canines, the preopercle is entirely covered with scales. The weight of pike perch is 1.3 kg, and the length is 45 cm. It is popular in the rivers of the Azov and Black Sea, as a rule, in the middle reaches.

Volzhsky is a freshwater fish, but sometimes it also enters the Caspian Sea. Volga zander lives in Sheksna, Kama, and also it can be found in the southern reservoirs. The further from the south of the habitat of the pike perch, the later spawning is postponed. When the birth of pike perch begins to feed on a small zooplankton, and as soon as it grows to 40 mm, begins to eat benthos. In the second year passes on predatory food - percid fish. Pike perches, which are longer than 15 cm, use exclusively fish. They do not have fangs, so they can not catch a big fish. Pike perch swallows fish from 0.5 to 7 cm. In the spring it begins to be fattened by yearlings, in the summer the saturation of feeding decreases, in the autumn period it feeds on the grown up fish.

Sander marinus

Sea pike-perch, unlike Volga, has smaller eyes. The length of pike perch is 600 mm. Especially popular this fish in the middle and southern Caspian, in the west of the Black Sea.

Sudak, which lives in the Caspian Sea, practically does not enter rivers. Spring is the time of spawning. Eggs larger than river pike-perch. Fecundity depends on the size of the female and varies from 13 to 126 thousand eggs. In two years the pike perch is ready for reproduction. Sea pike-perch prefers young sea herring, bull-calves, sprat, shrimps. The fishing role is small.

Family Ruff

In the genus ruffs fins on the back, consisting of a prickly and soft part, are connected to each other, on the head there are cavities of susceptible channels, on the jaws - bristle-shaped teeth. There are the following types: ordinary, hare and striped ruff.

Gymnocephalus cernuus

Ordinary ruff is popular in large rivers, continental lakes and flowing ponds. Beware of rivers with fast running water. The body of the fish is covered with scales and mucus, compressed from the sides. The back is gray-green with dark, almost black spots, the abdomen is white and yellowish. On the dorsal and caudal fin black dots. Eyes large, iridescent cloudy-lilac. The color of the ruff depends on the habitat. In waters with a muddy bottom, the color shade is darker than in waters with a sandy bottom.

Fish in length from 10 to 15 cm, weighing 20-25 g. There are individuals up to 30 cm long, weighing up to 200 g, mainly in the reservoirs of Siberia and the Urals. Spring is the period of spawning. At this time, females are able to lay eggs repeatedly. The ability to reproduce occurs in two years. Rapid maturation, excellent fertility contribute to a rapid increase in the population.

After birth, the common ruff regales with zooplankton, but after a while switches to feeding organisms that inhabit the bottom of the reservoir. At the ruff at night there is a peak of activity, and he is intensively starting to eat. The maximum age of life of the ruff is fixed, which is 10 years.

Biryuchok, in contrast to the ruff, has a longer body and smaller scales. It can be found only in water bodies with a rapid current. Body color - yellow, back - greenish-yellow, abdomen white, slightly silvery, on the sides there are several dark spots. He goes to spawn in the spring. In food uses mainly benthic invertebrates and small fish. Very noble of the ear gets an ear.

Striped ruff inhabits fresh waters with a sandy bottom and saturated with oxygen. It feeds on crustaceans, fish fry, caviar, worms. Body shape elongated, large head, dorsal fin has a small notch. The fish is slippery to the touch. On the sides of the body are black longitudinal strips. Body pale yellow, abdomen whitish-silver, sides of golden-yellow color. Spawns early in the spring.

Family Chopy

The chops also belong to the percid fish family, but, unlike the ruff, they have a fusiform-cylindrical body shape, two extended dorsal fins, a smooth lower edge of the preopercle.

Distinguish the following types of chops: ordinary, small, French.

Chop ordinary has a cylindrical, slightly flattened corpuscle of yellowish-gray color. On the sides are distinguishable strips of brown color. It is popular in the Danube and its tributaries. The size of the fish can reach 48 cm. In general, there are specimens 25 cm long. Chop prefers to stay near the bottom, feeds on a small fish and bottom invertebrates. The spawning takes place in March-April. Eggs are mostly small and sticky.

Zingel streber

Small chop is popular in the Danube and in the Vardar River, which flows into the Aegean Sea. Chop prefers twilight. It feeds, as a rule, at night with larvae, worms, mollusks and crustaceans. The body length is 20 cm, and the weight is about 200 g. The spawning takes place in April-May. Fertility can reach 10 thousand eggs. Caviar is small, adheres to the substrate.

Zingel asper

The French chop leads mostly nightlife. Inhabits the bottom of the reservoirs. It feeds mainly on different benthic animals. The length varies from 15 to 20 cm.

Body fish grayish-yellow in color. The abdomen is white, and on the sides there are three brown strips. The spawning takes place from March to April. The life span of the French chop is approximately 3.5 years. Chop - a small fish of the perch family is common in the Rhone river basin .

The Stavrid family

Stavridovye have two dorsal fins: the first - prickly, of small size, with small spiny rays, and the second - a long one. In some species on the lateral line there are bone shields. This fish has a thin caudal peduncle. Stavridovyh live in warm waters. Most fish are of great importance in fishing. The family includes about 20 genera with two hundred species of marine fish.

The most popular species is the genus Stavrida. Sea fish of the Percian family has an elongated body that is slightly compressed at the sides. The head is covered with scales, and in front of eyes there are fatty eyelids. Stavrida has small teeth, feeds on zooplankton, small fish.

Okunevye spread almost all over the globe. They have the highest value when consumed in fresh, frozen or canned form.