Yellow perch

The yellow perch (Perca flavescens), commonly referred to as perch, is a freshwater perciform fish native to much of North America. The yellow perch was described in 1814 by Samuel Latham Mitchill from New York. Yellow perch are closely related, and morphologically similar to the European perch (Perca fluviatilis); however, the two are recognized as independent species based on anatomical and genetic differences. Other common names for yellow perch include American perch, coontail, lake perch, raccoon perch, ring-tail perch, ringed perch, and striped perch.

Latitudinal variability in age, growth rates, and size have been observed among populations of yellow perch, likely resulting from differences in day-length and annual water temperatures. Typically, northern populations of yellow perch live longer and grow to larger sizes. However, southern populations of yellow perch generally grow much faster. In many populations, yellow perch often live from 9–10 years, with adults generally ranging from 4-10 inches in length.