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Logperch fish identification, its habitats, characteristics, fishing methods.
Logperch are the largest species of darter and also one of the most common. They are probably the only darter that is occasionally caught on hook and line by fisherman. By far the most widely distributed of all the darter species, ranging from Saskatchewan to Quebec, south to Texas and Florida. It occupies many stream drainages throughout the eastern half of the US and appears to have been introduced into many parts of continent where it did not originally occur.
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The logperches are a group of fish in the genus Percina of the family
Percidae (Perch family). There are 11 species of logperch, native to eastern parts of the US and Canada. The logperch ranges from the Hudson Bay drain- age south in the Mississippi watershed to Louisiana. It occurs in the Tennessee River basin, the Great Lakes east to the Ottawa River, and Lake Champlain.
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Description
They are characterised by distinct vertical barring along the flank and a subterminal mouth. Yellow-brown above; many alternating long and short bars along side extend over back and join those of other side; bars relatively uniform, not constricted at middle. Dusky teardrop. Nape usually scaled. No orange band on 1 st dorsal fin. No scales on top of head, usually none on area in front of pectoral fin. 67-100 lateral scales. To 7 ¼ in.
logperch is distinguished from other logperch by a thin red submarginal band in the spiny dorsal fin, by an entirely scaled nape, by absence of scales on top of the head and the anterior part of the breast, and by having no preopercle blotch on adults. Its lateral banding pattern consists of nine vertically elongated bars, separated by a series of thin, short vertical bars. The anterior elongate bars are slightly widened into blotches. logperch has higher anal ray and pored lateral line counts than the “Gulf logperch,” which it mostly closely resembles. In contrast to the southern logperch, vertically elongated bars along the sides of the “Mobile logperch” are expanded into blotches below the lateral line, and are individually separated by shorter bars that are not expanded at the lower ends.
The logperch darter is a pale yellow to olive color with numerous, narrow brown vertical bars on the sides. Usually they also have a dusky bar beneath the eye and a small black spot at the base of the tail fin. They have a small mouth and a very pointed snout. They often flip over rocks with their snout while searching for food. Dorsal fin of 15 rays; anal fin of 9 rays; lateral line of 80-90 scales with a black spot at the base of the anal fin; Head broad with tapered snout overhanging mouth; top of head depressed between the eyes. Yellowish-green with about 15 dark crossbands.
Habitats
The fish inhabit clear, gravelly streams and lakes, reaching a maximum size of about 18 cm (7 inches) and a maximum age of about 3 years. Most common over gravel and sand in medium-sized rivers but can be found almost anywhere from small, fast-flowing rock-bottomed streams to vegetated lakes.
The southern logperch prefers large rivers and streams with shifting sand and gravel substrates. Large numbers have been observed in the main channel of the Conecuh River over shoals two to three feet deep. Little else is known about the biology of this species, although its diet is presumably similar to that of other logperches, consisting of aquatic insect larvae. They are usually located in areas with considerable sand, gravel or rocky areas in lakes or medium to large streams and rivers. They are one of two darter species that are common in Ohio's many reservoirs, the other is the johnny darter. The logperch darter is found throughout the state in both the Lake Erie and Ohio River drainadges.
Common in lakes and streams. The only member of darters live in lakes. Adaptable to a wide variety of habitats. Nonethless, siltation and other detrimental effects of human activities have caused numbers to decline sharply in some locations. Sometimes observed turning small stones with the snout, searching for food: aquatic insects, especially mayfly nymphs, caddis larvae and midge larvae, which they find under rocks. Logperch use their fleshy, hoglike snouts to root under and roll over small stones, leaves and other objects on the bottom, to reach the aquatic insects beneath them. Logperch also eagerly eat logperch eggs that were not buried in the sand during spawning.
Spawning
southern logperch spawn early in the year, as do other logperch in the subgenus Percina. This and other logperch species are known to flip stones or similar objects scattered along the bottom in search of food. With age, their snouts often become blunt and somewhat calloused.
Logperch spawn in late spring, usualy in June. Males gather in large schools near sandy substrate while females remain outside the school until they are ready to spawn. When ready, the females swim through the school and at least one male will follow. Both fish will then partially bury themselves in the sand and extrude and fertilize the eggs. Females repeatedly enter an aggregation of males and burrow into the sand bottom with a mounted male. About 10 to 20 eggs are released at each spawning, and a female will spawn multiple times. They are capable of laying 1,000 to 3,000 eggs. The eggs are not guarded and the males are not territorial. After spawning, the eggs are left unguarded to hatch by themselves. Young logperch are found in dense beds of vegetation. They feed on small organisms, mostly zooplankton.
Freshwater Fish Species
The Perch family species
Saltwater Fish Species
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