Pike-perch

📖 Overview

Adults inhabit large, turbid rivers and eutrophic lakes, brackish coastal lakes and estuaries. They feed mainly on gregarious, pelagic fishes. They attain first sexual maturity at 3-10 years of age, usually at 4. Undertake short spawning migrations. Individuals foraging in brackish water move to freshwater habitats. Migrations up to 250 km have been recorded. Homing is well developed, even nearby populations may be relatively isolated. Spawn in pairs at dawn or night. Spawning occurs in April-May, exceptional from late February until July, depending on latitude and altitude when temperatures reach 10-14° C on spawning grounds . Popularly fished by sport fishers. Its flesh is succulent . Utilized fresh or frozen and eaten steamed, broiled and microwaved . An individual weighing 19 kg was reportedly caught in 1959 in Starnberger, Bavaria, Germany (Peter Admicka, pers. Comm. E-mail: [email protected]).

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 20; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18 - 24; Anal spines: 2 - 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 14; Vertebrae: 45 - 47. Distinguished from congeners in Europe by the following combination of characters: 1-2 enlarged canine teeth in anterior part of each jaw; second dorsal fin with 18-22½ branched rays; and 80-97 scales on lateral line . : fusiform / normal.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Pike-perch is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

The spawning places are over gravel in moving water . "Males are territorial and excavate shallow depressions about 50 cm in diameter and 5-10 cm deep in sand or gravel, or among exposed plant roots on which eggs are deposited, usually in turbid water and at 1-3 m depth. Spawn in pairs, at dawn or night. The female remains over the nest while the male circles rapidly around, at about 1 meter from the nest. Then male takes a vertical orientation and both swim around swiftly, and eggs and sperm are released, The female leaves the nest after all eggs are released. The male defends the nest and fans the eggs with his pectorals. Females spawn once a year, laying all the eggs at one time . Feeding larvae are positively phototactic and feed on pelagic organisms after they leave the nest for open water" .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; brackish; pelagic; potamodromous ; depth range 2 - 30 m , usually 2 - 3 m . Temperate; 6°C - 22°C ; 67°N - 36°N, 1°W - 75°E North Sea basin) and Maritza (Aegean basin) drainages.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🚨 Invasive Species Impact

References: Compiled from IUCN Global Invasive Species Database, USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database, and CABI Invasive Species Compendium.

🎣 Angling Guide

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Pike-perch is an edible species."

⚡ Nutrition

Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central

Nutrient	Amount
Protein	18.8 g
Omega-3 (total)	496 mg

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Pike-perch has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

🔬 Full Nutritional Profile

Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)

📊 Population Dynamics

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name	Author	Year	Status
Centropomus sandat	Lacepède	1802	Synonym
Lucioperca linnei	Malm	1877	Synonym
Lucioperca lucioperca	Linnaeus	1758	Synonym
Lucioperca sandra	Cuvier	1828	Synonym
Perca lucioperca	Linnaeus	1758	Homotypic
Stizostedion lucioperca	Linnaeus	1758	Synonym
Stizostedion luciperca	Linnaeus	1758	Synonym
Stizostedium lucioperca	Linnaeus	1758	Synonym

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 38 records indexed .

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