Archoplites taylori
| Sacramento perch | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Centrarchidae |
| Genus: |
Archoplites T. N. Gill, 1861 |
| Species: | A. interruptus |
| Binomial name | |
|
Archoplites interruptus (Girard, 1854) |
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The Sacramento perch (Archoplites interruptus) is an endangered sunfish (family Centrarchidae) native to the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, Pajaro, and Salinas River areas in California, but widely introduced throughout the western United States.
The Sacramento perch's native habitat is in sluggish, heavily vegetated, waters of sloughs and lakes. It can reach a maximum overall length of 61 cm (24 in) and a maximum weight of 3.6 kg (7.9 lb), and it has been reported to live as long as six years. Its adaptability to different habitats is high, and it can survive on a wide variety of food sources. As young perch, they consume mainly small crustaceans and eventually move on to insect larvae and then smaller fish as adults.
Archoplites interruptus belongs to the Centrarchidae family. This family mainly includes species of sunfish. Although called the Sacramento perch, A. interruptus is not a perch strictly speaking; the perches are members of the genus Perca in the family Percidae. This species is also the only member of the centrarchids that resides west of the Rockies.
A. interruptus is currently the only species of genus Archoplites, but Girard had originally assigned it to Centrarchus. The generic name, Archoplites, derives from the Greek άρχος (ruler) and οπλίτης (bearing a shield). Interruptus references the irregular vertical bar markings on the sides of the fish.
This species is a deep-bodied fish with long dorsal and anal fins. The mouth is large with numerous small teeth found on its jaws, tongue, and roof of its mouth. Its scales are large and brown on the sides and top of the fish and create a metallic greenish-purple shine. The Sacramento perch is most identifiable by its irregular vertical bars. Breeding males and females are slightly sexually dimorphic in color. The males become darker and have purple opercula (hard, bony flap that protects the gills). The color in females is plainer with spotted opercula. Its size is dependent on how old the fish is. A Sacramento perch at age 1 would measure 6–13 cm, at age 2 it would be 12–19 cm, and the growth rate will begin to slow. The largest of this species ever recorded was 61 cm total length.
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Wikipedia