The members of the family Percichthyidae are known as the temperate perches. They belong to the order

Perciformes Perciformes (), also called the Percomorpha or Acanthopteri, is an order or superorder of ray-finned fish. If considered a single order, they are the most numerous order of vertebrates, containing about 41% of all bony fish. Perciformes means ...

, the perch-like fishes. The name Percichthyidae derives from the Latin ''perca'' for perch and Ancient Greek ἰχθύς, ''ichthys'' for fish.

Classification

The temperate perches are closely related to the temperate basses of the family

Moronidae The Moronidae are a family of perciform fishes, commonly called the temperate basses, consisting of at least six freshwater, brackish water, and marine species. Many members of this family are anadromous. Description These fishes reach 45 cm to ...

, and older literature treats the latter as belonging to the family Percichthyidae. Australian freshwater percichthyids were once placed in the marine grouper family,

Serranidae The Serranidae are a large family of fishes belonging to the order Perciformes. The family contains about 450 species in 65 genera, including the sea basses and the groupers (subfamily Epinephelinae). Although many species are small, in some case ...

, and the two families are thought to be closely related. Almost 40

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of percichthyids are now recognised, grouped in 11–12

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

. Most but not all are exclusively freshwater fishes. They are mainly found in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, but species are also found in southern South America (''Percichthys''). More recently the Chinese perches have been classified in the separate family

Sinipercidae Sinipercidae, the Chinese perches or Oriental perches, is a family of freshwater ray-finned fishes , part of the superfamiy Percoidea, suborder Percoidei of the order Perciformes.They have been placed within the temperate perch family, Percich ...

while the genus ''

Percilia ''Percilia'' is a genus of perch-like fish in the monogeneric family Perciliidae. Species The genus ''Percilia'' currently contains these two species which are endemic to Chile: * ''Percilia gillissi'' Girard, 1855 * ''Percilia irwini ''Perc ...

'' has been found not to be closely related to either that family or the Percichthyidae and has been placed in its own

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

family

Perciliidae ''Percilia'' is a genus of perch-like fish in the monogeneric family Perciliidae. Species The genus ''Percilia'' currently contains these two species which are endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geogr ...

. The following 8 genera are classified within the family Percichthyidae: * ''

Bostockia The nightfish (''Bostockia porosa'') is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a temperate perch from the family Percichthyidae which is endemic to southwestern Australia. Taxonomy The nightfish was first formally described in 1873 by the F ...

'' Castelnau, 1873 * ''

Gadopsis ''Gadopsis'' is a genus of temperate perches endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to ...

Richardson Richardson may refer to: People * Richardson (surname), an English and Scottish surname * Richardson Gang, a London crime gang in the 1960s * Richardson Dilworth, Mayor of Philadelphia (1956-1962) Places Australia * Richardson, Australian Cap ...

, 1848 * ''

Guyu The traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar divide a year into 24 solar terms. ''Gǔyǔ'', ''Kokuu'', ''Gogu'', or ''Cốc vũ'' is the 6th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 30° and ends when it reaches the ...

'' Pusey & Kennard, 2001 * ''

Maccullochella ''Maccullochella'' is a genus of large Australian predatory freshwater fish within the family Percichthyidae. The genus ''Maccullochella'' was named after an early Australian fish researcher with the surname ''McCulloch''. The ''Maccullochella' ...

'' Whitley, 1929 * ''

Macquaria ''Macquaria'' is a genus of medium-sized, predatory temperate perches endemic to Australia. They are found in rivers and estuaries of the eastern part of the continent. Species The currently recognized species in this genus are: * ''Macquaria ...

'' Cuvier, 1830 * '' Nannatherina''

Regan The family name Regan, along with its cognates O'Regan, O Regan, Reagan, and O'Reagan, is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riagáin or Ó Ríogáin, from Ua Riagáin. The meaning is likely to have originated in ancient Gaelic ''ri'' ...

, 1906 * ''

Nannoperca ''Nannoperca'' or pygmy perch is a genus of temperate perches endemic to freshwater systems of Australia. Species The currently recognized species in this genus are: * '' Nannoperca australis'' Günther, 1861 (Southern pygmy perch) * '' Nannope ...

'' Günther, 1861 * ''

Percichthys ''Percichthys'' is a genus of temperate perches native to freshwater habitats in Argentina and Chile. Species The currently recognized species in this genus are: * '' Percichthys chilensis'' Girard, 1855 * '' Percichthys colhuapiensis'' MacDon ...

'' Girard, 1855 Some workers have found that the genus ''Macquaria'' is

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of converg ...

and that the two

catadromous Fish migration is mass relocation by fish from one area or body of water to another. Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousan ...

species ''

Macquaria colonorum The estuary perch (''Macquaria colonorum'') is a species of temperate perch endemic to south-eastern Australia, where it prefers brackish waters such as lower tidal reaches of coastal lakes, rivers, and streams. Appearance It is very similar t ...

'' and '' M. novemaculeata'' are not the closest relatives of the other two species in the genus and are placed in the genus ''

Percalates ''Macquaria'' is a genus of medium-sized, predatory temperate perches endemic to Australia. They are found in rivers and estuaries of the eastern part of the continent. Species The currently recognized species in this genus are: * '' Macquaria ...

'' in the

family

Percalatidae ''Macquaria'' is a genus of medium-sized, predatory temperate perches endemic to Australia. They are found in rivers and estuaries of the eastern part of the continent. Species The currently recognized species in this genus are: * '' Macquaria ...

These authors also found that the Percichthyidae and the Percalatidae were part of one of three

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

s within a new order, the Centrarchiformes in the

Percomorpha Percomorpha () is a large clade of ray-finned fish that includes the tuna, seahorses, gobies, cichlids, flatfish, wrasse, perches, anglerfish, and pufferfish. Evolution Percomorpha are the most diverse group of teleost fish today. Teleosts, and ...

. Abstract

Species

Australia has the greatest number of percichthyid species, where they are represented by the Australian freshwater cods (''Maccullochella'' spp.), which are Murray cod,

Mary River cod The Mary River cod (''Maccullochella mariensis'') is a species of temperate perch native to the coastal Mary River system of southern Queensland, Australia. Mary River cod are one of Australia's most endangered freshwater fishes and are notab ...

eastern freshwater cod The eastern freshwater cod (''Maccullochella ikei''), also known as the eastern cod or Clarence River cod, is a large predatory freshwater fish of the genus ''Maccullochella'' and the family Percichthyidae, that occur in the coastal Clarence Rive ...

, and

trout cod The trout cod (''Maccullochella macquariensis'') or bluenose cod, is a large predatory freshwater fish of the genus ''Maccullochella'' and the family Percichthyidae, closely related to the Murray cod. It was originally widespread in the south ...

, by the Australian freshwater blackfishes (''Gadopsis'' spp.), which are

river blackfish The river blackfish (''Gadopsis marmoratus'') is a freshwater fish endemic to the temperate waters of south-eastern Australia. It is found from southern Queensland through to central Victoria, including in the Murray- Darling river system. It ...

and

two-spined blackfish The two-spined blackfish (''Gadopsis bispinosus'') is a species of temperate perch endemic to Australia. It is found in the cool, clear, strong-flowing, cobble bottomed, sub-alpine rivers and streams (ranging from small to large) in the southe ...

, and by the Australian freshwater perches which are

golden perch The golden perch (''Macquaria ambigua'') is a medium-sized, yellow or gold-coloured species of Australian freshwater fish found primarily in the Murray-Darling River system, though a subspecies is found in the Lake Eyre-Cooper Creek system, an ...

Macquarie perch The Macquarie perch (''Macquaria australasica'') is an Australian native freshwater fish of the Murray-Darling river system. It is a member of the family Percichthyidae and is closely related to the golden perch (''Macquaria ambigua''). The ...

(''Macquaria'' spp.), and

Australian bass The Australian bass (''Macquaria novemaculeata'') is a small- to medium-sized species of primarily freshwater (but estuarine spawning) fish found in coastal rivers and streams along the east coast of Australia. A member of the genus '' Macqua ...

, and

estuary perch The estuary perch (''Macquaria colonorum'') is a species of temperate perch endemic to south-eastern Australia, where it prefers brackish waters such as lower tidal reaches of coastal lakes, rivers, and streams. Appearance It is very similar to ...

(''Percalates'' spp.). Several other Australian freshwater species also sit within the family Percichthyidae, while research using mitochondrial DNA suggests the species of the family Nannopercidae are in reality percichthyids, as well. Australia is unique in having a freshwater fish fauna dominated by percichthyids and allied families/species. This in contrast to Europe and Asia, whose fish faunas are dominated by members of the Cyprinidae carp family. (Australia does not have a single naturally occurring cyprinid species; unfortunately, the illegal introduction of carp has now established the family's presence in Australia.) A single genus occurs outside Australia, ''Percichthys'' in southern South America. A number of species are or have been important food species; some of these (e.g. the Murray cod, ''Maccullochella peelii peelii'') have become

threatened Threatened species are any species (including animals, plants and fungi) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future. Species that are threatened are sometimes characterised by the population dynamics measure of ''critical depensat ...

through

overfishing Overfishing is the removal of a species of fish (i.e. fishing) from a body of water at a rate greater than that the species can replenish its population naturally (i.e. the overexploitation of the fishery's existing fish stock), resulting in th ...

and river regulation, while others are now

farmed Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...

to some extent. Some smaller species (e.g. Balston's pygmy perch, ''Nannatherina balstoni'') are popular in aquaria. The extremely rare

Bloomfield River cod The Bloomfield River cod (''Guyu wujalwujalensis'') or the tropical nightfish, is a species of temperate perch endemic to Australia. It is only found in an 11-km stretch of the Bloomfield River (between two large waterfalls) in northern Queensla ...

, ''Guyu wujalwujalensis'', is only found in a short stretch of the Bloomfield River in north

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Timeline

ImageSize = width:1000px height:auto barincrement:15px PlotArea = left:10px bottom:50px top:10px right:10px Period = from:-65.5 till:10 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:-65.5 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:-65.5 TimeAxis = orientation:hor AlignBars = justify Colors = #legends id:CAR value:claret id:ANK value:rgb(0.4,0.3,0.196) id:HER value:teal id:HAD value:green id:OMN value:blue id:black value:black id:white value:white id:cenozoic value:rgb(0.54,0.54,0.258) id:paleogene value:rgb(0.99,0.6,0.32) id:paleocene value:rgb(0.99,0.65,0.37) id:eocene value:rgb(0.99,0.71,0.42) id:oligocene value:rgb(0.99,0.75,0.48) id:neogene value:rgb(0.999999,0.9,0.1) id:miocene value:rgb(0.999999,0.999999,0) id:pliocene value:rgb(0.97,0.98,0.68) id:quaternary value:rgb(0.98,0.98,0.5) id:pleistocene value:rgb(0.999999,0.95,0.68) id:holocene value:rgb(0.999,0.95,0.88) BarData= bar:eratop bar:space bar:periodtop bar:space bar:NAM1 bar:NAM2 bar:NAM3 bar:space bar:period bar:space bar:era PlotData= align:center textcolor:black fontsize:M mark:(line,black) width:25 shift:(7,-4) bar:periodtop from: -65.5 till: -55.8 color:paleocene text:

Paleocene The Paleocene, ( ) or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 mya (unit), million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), E ...

from: -55.8 till: -33.9 color:eocene text:

Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene' ...

from: -33.9 till: -23.03 color:oligocene text:

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but the ...

from: -23.03 till: -5.332 color:miocene text:

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...

from: -5.332 till: -2.588 color:pliocene text: Plio. from: -2.588 till: -0.0117 color:pleistocene text:

Pleist. The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed in ...

from: -0.0117 till: 0 color:holocene text: H. bar:eratop from: -65.5 till: -23.03 color:paleogene text:

Paleogene The Paleogene ( ; British English, also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene; informally Lower Tertiary or Early Tertiary) is a geologic period, geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period million yea ...

from: -23.03 till: -2.588 color:neogene text:

Neogene The Neogene ( ), informally Upper Tertiary or Late Tertiary, is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period million years ago ( Mya) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period Mya. ...

from: -2.588 till: 0 color:quaternary text: Q. PlotData= align:left fontsize:M mark:(line,white) width:5 anchor:till align:left color:paleocene bar:NAM1 from: -58.7 till: -55.8 text: Palaeopercichthys color:eocene bar:NAM2 from: -55.8 till: 0 text:

color:miocene bar:NAM3 from: -23.03 till: 0 text:

PlotData= align:center textcolor:black fontsize:M mark:(line,black) width:25 bar:period from: -65.5 till: -55.8 color:paleocene text:

from: -55.8 till: -33.9 color:eocene text:

from: -33.9 till: -23.03 color:oligocene text:

from: -23.03 till: -5.332 color:miocene text:

from: -5.332 till: -2.588 color:pliocene text: Plio. from: -2.588 till: -0.0117 color:pleistocene text:

from: -0.0117 till: 0 color:holocene text: H. bar:era from: -65.5 till: -23.03 color:paleogene text:

from: -23.03 till: -2.588 color:neogene text:

from: -2.588 till: 0 color:quaternary text: Q.

References

* *

External links

Fishbase, Family Percichthyidae - Temperate perches
{{Authority control * Taxa named by David Starr Jordan Taxa named by Carl H. Eigenmann

Classification

Species

Timeline

See also

References

External links