perch

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perch

A fish that lives in fresh or briny waters. Perch is found almost everywhere in the world. It measures ¾-1¹/₂ ft (25-50 cm) in length and weighs up to 7.5 lb (3.5 kg); its average weight is about 1 lb (500 g). Perch contains a lot of bones. Its white, lean and firm flesh has a delicate taste.

Buying

Perch is a game fish; it is rarely sold commercially.

Preparing

Scale perch as soon as it comes out of the water; otherwise, this becomes a more complicated process and it is often necessary to remove the skin. Perch can be poached or plunged for a few moments in boiling water before being scaled. Be careful of the spikes in its fins.

Serving Ideas

Perch works well in recipes for carp or trout. Avoid masking the delicate nature of its flesh.

Cooking

Perch is cooked whole or in fillets.


Poached, quick-braised or à la meunière (shallow fried with a pan sauce of flour, lemon and parsley), broiled, fried and baked.

Nutritional Information

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For more information on perch, visit Britannica.com.

Freshwater fish, Perca fluviatilis.

Any of various spiny-finned freshwater fish found in North America and Europe. In the United States the best known is the yellow perch, found mainly in the East and Midwest. In France, the common or river perch is highly favored. These similar-looking fish have olive-green backs blending to yellow on the sides, dark vertical bands and reddish-orange fins. They have a mild, delicate flavor and firm flesh with a low fat content. Related to the true perch are the pike perch (so called because their bodies resemble the pike), the best known of which are the walleyed pike and the sauger or sand pike. There are several saltwater fish that are incorrectly called perch including the white perch (really a member of the bass family) and the ocean perch (a member of the rockfish family). Perch range in size from 1⁄2 to 3 pounds. They're available fresh and frozen, whole and filleted. Small perch are usually best broiled or sautéed. Larger ones can be prepared in a variety of ways including poaching, steaming, baking and in soups and stews. See also fish.

verb

To place or be placed on a narrow or insecure surface: balance, poise. See posture.

Definition: sit atop of
Antonyms: lower

A unit of cubic measure used by stone masons; usually 16½ ft by 1½ ft by 1 ft (5.03 m by 0.46 m by 0.30 m).

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

Characteristic resting posture of birds on thin branches or perches; facilitated by anatomical arrangement of the digital flexor tendons—when the bird squats the knee and hock joints are flexed and the digital tendons flex passively, the digits grasping the perch.

• Fish
• Foreign and Historical Measures - perch: measure of volume for stone equal to 24 cubic feet (0.7 cu. m) (Britain)
• Fish and Shellfish

This article relies largely or entirely upon a single source. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Discussion about the problems with the sole source used may be found on the talk page. (August 2010)

This article is about the genus of fish. For other uses, see Perch (disambiguation).

"Perches" redirects here. For the municipality in Haiti, see Perches, Nord-Est.

"The Perch" redirects here. For the pub in Binsey, Oxfordshire, see The Perch (Binsey).

Perch
Yellow perch (Perca flavescens)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Superclass:	Osteichthyes
Class:	Actinopterygii
Subclass:	Neopterygii
Infraclass:	Teleostei
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Percidae
Genus:	Perca Linnaeus, 1758
Species
P. flavescens (Yellow perch) P. fluviatilis (European perch) P. schrenkii (Balkhash perch)

Perch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which there are three species in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Perciformes, from the Greek perke meaning spotted, and the Latin forma meaning shape. Many species of freshwater gamefish more or less resemble perch, but belong to a different genera. In fact, the exclusively salt water dwelling red drum is often referred to as a red perch, even though by definition perch are freshwater fish. Though many fish are referred to as perch as a common name, to be considered a true perch the fish must be of the family Percidae.

The type species for this genus is the European perch, Perca fluviatilis.

Contents 1 Anatomy 2 Habits 3 Fishing 4 Species 5 References

Anatomy

The general body type of a perch includes a somewhat long, rounded stature. True perch have "rough" or ctenoid scales. On the anterior side of the head are the maxilla and lower mandible for the mouth, a pair of nostrils, and two lidless eyes. On the posterior sides are the opercula, which protect the gills. Also there is the lateral line system which is sensitive to vibrations in the water. They have a pair of pectoral and pelvic fins. There are two dorsal fins, the first one spiny and the second soft. These two fins can be separate or joined. There is also an anal fin, which is also considered spiny, and a caudal fin. The cloaca lies directly behind the anal fin. All perciform fish share this general morphology.

Habits

Perch are carnivorous fish that are most commonly found in small ponds, lakes, streams, or rivers. These fish like to feed on smaller fish, shellfish, or insect larvae, but can be caught with nearly any bait. They commonly spawn during the spring, when the females lay strings of eggs in covered areas such as near branches or underwater plants.

Fishing

Perch are sought after by fishermen both for sport and for food. They can be caught with a variety of methods, but the two best methods are perhaps float fishing and lure fishing. The best way is to use a small hook and cast into the weeds just before the drop off. When fishing with a float, the angler will want to have a disgorger; Perch are notorious for swallowing the hook, and will need aid of a disgorger or forceps for unhooking. In many parts of the world they are also a favorite species among ice fishermen. They will take a variety of baits, including minnows, worms, maggots, bread, pieces of raw bacon, and softshell crayfish.

Perch grow to around 5 lb (2.3 kg) or more, but the most common fish to be caught are around 1 lb (0.45 kg) or less, and anything over 2 lb (0.91 kg) is considered a prize catch. The British record perch is 6lb, beating the previous one by 1 oz (28 g).

Species

Most authorities recognize three species within the perch genus:

• The European perch (Perca fluviatilis) is found in Europe and Asia. This species is typically greenish in color with dark vertical bars on its sides with a red or orange coloring in the tips of its fins. The European perch has been successfully introduced in New Zealand and Australia where it is known as the redfin perch or English perch. In Australia they have bred into larger specimens, but the species rarely grows larger than about six pounds.

• The Balkhash perch (Perca schrenkii) is found in Kazakhstan, (in Lake Balkhash and Lake Alakol), Uzbekistan, and China. It is very similar to the European perch, and grows to a comparable size.

• The yellow perch (Perca flavescens), smaller and paler than the European perch, is found in the United States and Canada. In northern areas, it is sometimes referred to as the lake perch. This species is prized for its food quality and has often been raised in hatcheries and introduced into areas in which it is not native. Yellow perch are almost identical in appearance to European perch but have a more yellow coloring. These fish typically only reach a size of about fifteen inches and two and a quarter pounds.

Other species commonly called perch include:

• The golden perch (Macquaria ambigua), native to Australia, is usually found west of the Great Dividing Range through the Murray Darling river system. This species grows up to 22 kg (49 lb) and 60 cm (24 in).

• The silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus), native to Australia, is usually found in the Murray River, though has been recorded north in the Darling River. It is slightly larger than the golden perch.

• The spangled perch (Leiopotherapon unicolor), is found throughout Australian waters, from pure freshwater to sea water, though mostly fresh water. It is considerably smaller than the silver perch and golden perch; grows up to 500 g (18 oz) and 30 cm (12 in).

• The pikeperch, more commonly referred to as the walleye, is a larger species found in North America.

For other perch not in the Perca genus, see Perch (disambiguation).

References

• Gilberson, Lance, Zoology Lab Manual 4th edition. Primis Custom Publishing. 1999.
• "perch." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011.
• "Perch" 22 April 2008. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/perch-info.htm>
• Bloom, Claire. "Top 3 Perch Fishing Tips" 25 November 2008. HowStuffWorks.com.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
1.
n. - gren, siddestang, høj beliggenhed
v. intr. - sidde
v. tr. - sætte sig

idioms:

• knock someone off their perch    vippe nogen af pinden

2.
n. - aborre

3.
n. - 5,5 yard (5 m)

Nederlands (Dutch)
stang (waar vogel op zit), hoge (zit)plaats, roede (lengtemaat), baars, neerstrijken, op iets hoogs gaan zitten/ staan

Français (French)
1.
n. - perchoir, (fig) position élevée
v. intr. - se percher sur
v. tr. - percher

idioms:

• knock someone off their perch    détrôner qn

2.
n. - (Zool) perche

3.
n. - (Mes) 5 mètres (arch)

Deutsch (German)
1.
n. - Flußbarsch, Stange, Sitzplatz
v. - sich niederlassen

idioms:

• knock someone off their perch    jmdn. von seinem hohen Roß herunterholen

2.
n. - Flußbarsch

3.
n. - Stange

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - κούρνια, δοκός ή βέργα πάνω στην οποία κουρνιάζουν κότες κ.λπ., θαλάσσια πέρκα, (ιχθυολ.) πέρκη η ποταμία, (μτφ.) ψηλή φωλιά, κούρνια
v. - κουρνιάζω, κουκουβίζω, τοποθετώ σε κούρνια ή φωλιά

idioms:

• knock someone off their perch    κατανικώ, συντρίβω, κλονίζω την αυτοπεποίθηση κάποιου

Italiano (Italian)
appollaiarsi, pesce persico

idioms:

• knock someone off their perch    spodestare

Português (Portuguese)
n. - poleiro (m), perca (f), unidades de medida (f), lugar alto (m)
v. - empoleirar, colocar em lugar alto

idioms:

• knock someone off their perch    puxar o tapete de alguém

Русский (Russian)
насест, окунь

idioms:

• knock someone off their perch    сбить спесь

Español (Spanish)
1.
n. - percha
v. intr. - encaramarse, posarse
v. tr. - emperchar, encaramar, examinar

idioms:

• knock someone off their perch    poner en su lugar, derribar del pedestal, derrotar, destruir (a una persona)

2.
n. - perca

3.
n. - pértica

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - abborre, (fågel-)pinne, hög sittplats, prick (i farled), långbom, mätstång
v. - sitta uppflugen

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
1. 栖息处, 栖木, 高处, 休息处, 高位, 飞落, 栖息, 坐落, 暂歇, 使飞落, 使暂栖, 使坐落于, 把...置于, 使处于

idioms:

• knock someone off their perch    打败某人

2. 河鲈

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
1.
n. - 河鱸

2.
n. - 棲息處, 棲木, 高處, 休息處, 高位
v. intr. - 飛落, 棲息, 坐落, 暫歇
v. tr. - 使飛落, 使暫棲, 使坐落於, 把...置於, 使處於

idioms:

• knock someone off their perch    打敗某人

한국어 (Korean)
1.
n. - 횃대, 높은[안전한] 지위
v. intr. - (새가) 앉다, 걸터 앉다
v. tr. - 횃대에 앉히다, 놓다

2.
n. - 농어 무리의 민물고기

3.
n. - 퍼치(길이의 측정단위 5.03미터)

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 止まり木, 高い場所, 高い地位, パーチ
v. - 止まる, 置く, 座る

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) عمود قطر, مجثم, فرخ, سمك نهري, مقياس, للأطوال يساوي خمسه ياردات (فعل) يضع في مكان عال, يحط, يجثم‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מקום בטוח, מוט מנוחה (לעוף), עמדה רמה‬
v. intr. - ‮התיישב, ישב על מוט‬
v. tr. - ‮נחת, הושיב, העמיד, הציב‬
n. - ‮דג מאכל החי במים מתוקים‬
n. - ‮מידת אורך (5.5 ירד) שטח (103 ירד"ר) ונפח (52 רגל"ק)‬

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