Gape Limitation and Prey Selection in Larval Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens), Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens), and Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)

1991 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 1919-1925 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise M. Schael ◽  
Lars G. Rudstam ◽  
John R. Post
Keyword(s):  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Fish Length ◽  
Prey Selectivity ◽  
Lake Mendota ◽  
Pomoxis Nigromaculatus ◽  
Aplodinotus Grunniens ◽  
Gape Size ◽  
Freshwater Drum

We compared prey selection of larval yellow perch (Perca flavescens), freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens), and black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin. All three species had a diet dominated by copepods and selected progressively larger prey as fish length increased. For a given fish length, freshwater drum selected larger prey and black crappie selected smaller prey than yellow perch. These differences in prey selectivity were partly explainable from differences in gape to length relationships. Freshwater drum did have the largest gape for a given length of the three species, but gape size for black crappie and yellow perch were similar. Gape size predicted 67% of the variability in mean prey size ingested by yellow perch but only 15% for freshwater drum and 8% for black crappie. Although gape size did predict the upper limit of ingestible prey sizes and explained some of the differences in prey selectivity among the three species, both the degree to which the different fishes can ingest prey close to their gape limit and the degree to which gape predicted mean size of ingested prey varied among the three fish species.

scholarly journals Match–Mismatch Regulation for Bluegill and Yellow Perch Larvae and Their Prey in Sandhill Lakes

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey C. Jolley ◽  
David W. Willis ◽  
Richard S. Holland
Keyword(s):  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Lepomis Macrochirus ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Zooplankton Abundance ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Fish Recruitment ◽  
Newly Hatched Larvae

Abstract Food availability may regulate fish recruitment, both directly and indirectly. The availability of zooplankton, especially to newly hatched larvae, is thought to be crucial to their early growth and survival. We examined stomach contents of larval bluegill Lepomis macrochirus and yellow perch Perca flavescens in Pelican Lake and Cameron Lake, Nebraska, in 2004 and 2005. We also determined zooplankton availability and calculated prey selection using Chesson's α. In addition, we investigated potential match–mismatch regulation of recruitment from 2004 to 2008. Bluegill positively selected copepod nauplii and Bosmina spp., and yellow perch often selected copepods. Abundant zooplankton populations were available for consumption. Matches of both larval bluegill and yellow perch abundance to zooplankton abundance were detected in all years; exact matches were common. Mismatches in predator and prey production were not observed. Predation by age-0 yellow perch on age-0 bluegill was not observed, even though yellow perch hatched 2 mo prior to bluegill. Given that zooplankton were abundant and well-timed to larval fish relative abundance over the time span of this study, the match–mismatch hypothesis alone may not fully account for observed recruitment variability in these populations. Environmental conditions may also affect recruitment and warrant further investigation.

Dynamics and Species Interactions in the Commercial Fishery of the Red lakes, Minnesota

1992 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald L. Pereira ◽  
Yosef Cohen ◽  
George R. Spangler
Keyword(s):  
Species Interactions ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Power Spectra ◽  
Commercial Fishery ◽  
Catch Per Unit Effort ◽  
Commercial Catch ◽  
Aplodinotus Grunniens ◽  
Freshwater Drum

The Red Lakes, Minnesota, have supported a commercial fishery for walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) since 1917. Since 1972, harvests indicate increased variance in recruitment of percids and an increase in biomass of freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens). We subjected commercial catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) records of walleye, yellow perch, and animal feed (composed primarily of drum) to spectral analysis. Estimated power spectra displayed peaks at 8.5, 10, and 17 yr for walleye, yellow perch, and animal feed, respectively. Walleye and yellow perch CPUE time series were significantly coherent at periods ranging from 5to 10 yr, confirming the predator–prey relationship and common recruitment patterns of these two species. Interpretation of coherency between drum and the two percid species required knowledge of the age distribution of freshwater drum. The apparent exponential increase in drum biomass as indicated by commercial CPUE is primarily due to strong year classes in 1955, 1970, and 1983. While drum recruitment and growth are consistent with the periodicity in the autospectrum, we find little evidence from coherencies that drum recruitment is related to the dynamics of wlleye or perch populations.

Predicting the Vertical Distribution of Fish Populations: Analysis of Cisco, Coregonus artedii, and Yellow Perch, Perca flavescens

1985 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 1178-1188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars G. Rudstam ◽  
John J. Magnuson
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Fish Population ◽  
Lake Mendota ◽  
Vertical Distributions ◽  
Preferred Temperatures ◽  
Coregonus Artedii ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

We develop a model based on fish behavior in temperature and oxygen gradients that yields quantitative predictions of the vertical distribution of a fish population throughout the water column. The model was tested against observed vertical distributions of cisco, Coregonus artedii, and yellow perch, Perca flavescens, in 1981 and 1982 from five Wisconsin lakes. In some cases, the model seemed adequate for cisco, but in most cases, they occupied a temperature lower than their final preferendum. Occupation of lower temperature is consistent with a response to less than ad libitum food rations expected in these oligotrophy to mesotrophic lakes. In Lake Mendota, which is eutrophic with an anaerobic hypolimnion, cisco occupied temperatures higher than predicted by the model. For perch distributions, avoidance of high light intensities appears important. We did not observe effects of interspecific segregation between cisco and perch in their vertical distributions beyond that expected from differences in their preferred temperatures. Deviations of actual distributions from predictions of our relatively simplistic two-factor model can be used to help identify and evaluate other important physical and biotic factors influencing vertical distributions.

Observations on the glochidia of Lampsilis radiata (Gmelin) infesting yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill) in the Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario

1969 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 705-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shibru Tedla ◽  
C. H. Fernando
Keyword(s):  
Yellow Perch ◽  
White Perch ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Smallmouth Bass ◽  
Lepomis Gibbosus ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Pomoxis Nigromaculatus ◽  
Rock Bass

Analysis of incidence and intensity of infestation of yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), by the glochidia of Lampsilis radiata from weekly samples from May to September and single samples in October and November indicate that the two subspecies, Lampsilis radiata radiata and Lampsilis radiata siliquoidea, shed their glochidia in late spring and throughout the summer in the Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario. Smaller fish are more heavily infested with these glochidia than larger ones. About 50% of the preparasitic glochidia of Lampsilis radiata siliquoidea survived for 12, 70, and 120 h at 20°, 12°, and 10 °C respectively. The parasitic period of the glochidia of L. r. siliquoidea on yellow perch under experimental conditions was 50 days at 15 °C from the May infestation. Yellow perch carried the glochidia for a longer period from an August infestation. All the glochidia recovered 50 days after infestation, both from May and August infestations, had undergone metamorphosis. There was no difference in the degrees of infestation of the different species of fish used in our experiments. Pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus (Linnaeus); rock bass, Ambloplites rupestris (Rafinesque); and white perch, Roccus americanus (Gmelin) lost their infestations in a week. Presumably no metamorphosis took place under these conditions. Black crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus (LeSueur); largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede), smallmouth bass, M. dolomieui Lacepede: and yellow perch carried the infestation till they were killed 20 days later. There was no relationship between the numbers of glochidia (Lampsilis radiata) and copepods, (Ergasilus confusus Bere) on naturally infested yellow perch, nor on rock bass, smallmouth bass, and pumpkinseed which harbored Ergasilus spp. naturally and which were infested with the glochidia of L. r. siliquoidea experimentally.

Food Conditioning and Prey Selection by Young Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens)

1987 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 549-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward L. Mills ◽  
Daniel V. Widzowski ◽  
Suzanne R. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Daphnia Pulex ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Diet Breadth ◽  
Species Selection ◽  
Test Mixture ◽  
Food Conditioning

We tested how diet conditioning influences prey species selection by age-0 yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in laboratory experiments. We conditioned yellow perch to diets of different ratios of Daphnia pulex and Diaptomus sicilis and then offered them an experimental 1:1 test mixture of each prey. The influence of conditioning on prey selection was found not to be random, and prey were consumed neither in proportion to the 1:1 test mix nor to the ratio of prey in the conditioning diet. Young yellow perch switched to novel prey and did not specialize on the most frequently encountered prey in conditioning diets. However, when yellow perch were conditioned and tested on the 1:1 Diaptomus to Daphnia mix, these fish selected Diaptomus until they reached 35–40 mm total length when they switched to the larger bodied Daphnia. We hypothesize that young yellow perch may switch to novel prey because nutritional advantages associated with diet breadth may outweigh the advantage of feeding on familiar prey.

Ontogenetic Changes in Prey Selection and Visual Acuity of the Yellow Perch, Perca flavescens

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 743-749 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina M. Wahl ◽  
Edward L. Mills ◽  
William N. McFarland ◽  
Joseph S. DeGisi
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Ontogenetic Changes ◽  
Oneida Lake ◽  
Visual Improvement ◽  
Newly Hatched Larvae

Age-0 yellow perch, Perca flavescens, shift from pelagic to demersal waters of Oneida Lake, New York, between late June to mid-July, when they reach standard lengths of 24–31 mm. The timing of this habitat shift coincides with the size range over which yellow perch achieve a degree of visual resolution that nearly equals that of adult yellow perch, from 174 min of arc in newly hatched larvae to 9–12 min in adults. This visual improvement is reflected in the yellow perch's diet, which consists of an increasingly wider range of prey sizes and types. If twin cones are counted as functionally separate photoreceptors, there is a significant improvement of the calculated visual acuity in larval fish with lenses < 1 mm in diameter but not in older fish with larger lenses. During its rapid growth phase the most optimistic calculation of visual acuity in a young yellow perch is insufficient to explain the feeding success necessary at this time. We suggest therefore that young yellow perch spend more time in search of prey than their adult counterparts.

Diel Activity and Vertical Distribution of Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) Under the Ice

1966 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary L. Hergenrader ◽  
Arthur D. Hasler
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Activity Pattern ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Depth Distribution ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Diel Activity ◽  
Limited Extent ◽  
Diel Pattern ◽  
Lake Mendota ◽  
Individual Fish

Use of echo sounders showed that, under the ice in Lake Mendota, yellow perch (Perca flavescens Mitchill) have a bimodal diel pattern of activity. The first peak of activity, during midmorning, was much higher than the second, in midafternoon. Schools of fish in mid water made up the bulk of the fish traces per hour although individual fish were also commonly recorded. At night, when activity was much reduced, principally single fish were observed. The fish swam much more slowly at night than during the day.The activity pattern generally agreed with those reported by investigators for other lakes in that the perch were active during the day and relatively inactive at night.No well-defined change in depth distribution was noted. There was a tendency for the fish to move away from the bottom to a limited extent at night but no marked movement was recorded. The majority of fish were most often recorded at a depth of 30–60 ft (9–18 m), the main concentrations being in areas of the lake more than 50 ft (15 m) deep.

Influence of Changing Seasons on Schooling Behavior of Yellow Perch

1968 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 711-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary L. Hergenrader ◽  
Arthur D. Hasler
Keyword(s):  
School Size ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Light Transmission ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Lake Mendota ◽  
Schooling Behavior ◽  
Bottom Fish ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Individual

Analysis of echo-sounder and sonar records made on Lake Mendota during summer and winter indicated that the schooling behavior of yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), changed markedly between the two seasons. The distance separating individuals in schools during summer was less than 1.5–2.0 ft, consequently producing dense traces on the recorder charts which showed no definition of individuals. During winter, however, the fish-to-fish distances often were greater than 1.5–2.0 ft, producing many traces showing the individual fishes in a school. The mean distance between the top and bottom fish in a school during winter was 22.1 ft (6.7 m); in summer only 8.5 ft (2.5 m). High correlations existed between light transmission of the water and school size (r =.77) and between temperature and school size (r = −.89). The possible adaptive significance of this seasonal change in behavior is discussed.

Influence of Prey Abundance on Species and Size Selection by Young Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens)

1990 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 882-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
John L. Confer ◽  
Edward L. Mills ◽  
Linda O'Bryan
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
General Pattern ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Growth Efficiency ◽  
Oneida Lake ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Zooplankton Prey

Prey selection by young yellow perch (Perca flavescens) (22–62 mm TL) was measured during 11 experiments over two summers, 1982–83. For each experiment fish were offered different densities of the same mixture of zooplankton from Oneida Lake, NY. As density of prey increased, several measures of selectivity for Daphnia either remained unchanged or declined, while all measures of selectivity for calanoids and cyclopoids increased. At all densities small to mid-sized Daphnia were preferred to large Daphnia. Reanalyses of other studies suggests this may be the general pattern for young planktivores, despite the contrary predictions of several models of prey selection. For young planktivores, differences in the nutritional quality of zooplankton prey, including resultant growth efficiency and speed of digestion, can account for these results.

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