The American silver perch, ''Bairdiella chrysoura'', is an American fish. Widespread on the eastern seaboard, the silver perch is commonly caught by inshore anglers in search of larger species. This fish is common up to , but can be found uncommonly to .

Description

The American silver perch has a moderately large, obliquely rising terminal mouth. The lower jaw projects further than the upper jaw. The chin does not bear a

barbel Barbel may refer to: *Barbel (anatomy), a whisker-like organ near the mouth found in some fish (notably catfish, loaches and cyprinids) and turtles *Barbel (fish), a common name for certain species of fish **''Barbus barbus'', a species of cyprinid ...

but has three pairs of mental pores (the arrangement of the barbels and under-chin pores provides a means to distinguish between different members of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Sciaenidae Sciaenidae are a family of fish in the order Acanthuriformes. They are commonly called drums or croakers in reference to the repetitive throbbing or drumming sounds they make. The family consists of about 286 to 298 species in about 66 to 70 gen ...

). The preopercle, the bony plate just in front of the operculum, bears a few spines set at an angle. The dorsal fin has ten to eleven spines and nineteen to twenty-three soft rays. The anal fin has two spines, the second of which is sharp and more than two thirds the length of the first soft ray, and eight to ten soft rays. This fish has a two-chambered

swim bladder The swim bladder, gas bladder, fish maw, or air bladder is an internal gas-filled Organ (anatomy), organ that contributes to the ability of many bony fish (but not cartilaginous fish) to control their buoyancy, and thus to stay at their curren ...

which is connected to the inner ear. It has good hearing, on a par with the

goldfish The goldfish (''Carassius auratus'') is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have ...

which is renowned for its auditory ability. Its general color is silvery, greenish, or bluish on the dorsal surface and silvery or yellowish on the underside. The fins are yellowish or greyish. Silver perch are similar in appearance to the

sand seatrout ''Cynoscion arenarius'' (sand seatrout, sand weakfish or, as it is also known, white trout) is a common species of drum fish found in the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic Ocean. While not especially popular or targeted, it is still known as ...

silver seatrout The silver seatrout (''Cynoscion nothus''), also known as white trout, sugar trout, and silver weakfish, is a marine fish of the drum family Sciaenidae Sciaenidae are a family of fish in the order Acanthuriformes. They are commonly called drum ...

, two closely related species of

weakfish The weakfish, ''Cynoscion regalis'', is a marine fish of the drum family Sciaenidae. A medium-large, slender, marine fish, it is found along the east coast of North America. The head and back of this fish are dark brown in color with a greenish t ...

. Seatrout usually have 1 or 2 prominent canine teeth at the tip of upper jaw and do not have chin pores.

Distribution and habitat

Silver perch are native to the east coast of the United States. Its range extends from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. They are found inshore in

seagrass Seagrasses are the only flowering plants which grow in marine environments. There are about 60 species of fully marine seagrasses which belong to four families (Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae and Cymodoceaceae), all in the orde ...

beds, tidal creeks and rivers, and marshes.

Behavior

Spawning takes place in shallow, saline portions of bays and other inshore areas, peaking between May and September. Silver perch mature by second or third year (by 6 inches). Adults eat crustaceans and small fishes. They may live to 6 years.

Fishing

Silver perch are rarely targeted as game fish due to their small size, though they are considered good eating. They are most commonly caught as bycatch when fishing inshore or nearshore for species such as black drum and sheepshead. Silver perch are occasionally used as bait by fishermen.

Sources

Smithsonian Marine Station

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2514677 Sciaenidae Fish described in 1802