Chesapeake logperch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chesapeake logperch |
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The Chesapeake logperch (Percina bimaculata) is a small freshwater fish. It is a type of darter, which belongs to the same family as perches. This fish lives in rivers that flow into the Chesapeake Bay. It especially likes clear, flowing parts of rivers with gravel and rocks.
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Where Does the Chesapeake Logperch Live?
The Chesapeake logperch is found in the northeastern United States. Long ago, it lived in the Chesapeake Bay area, including parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington D.C. This included the lower Susquehanna River and the middle to lower Potomac River.
However, this fish has not been seen in the Potomac River since the 1930s. Today, you can mostly find the Chesapeake logperch in the lower Susquehanna River basin. It also lives in Winters Run and the North East River in Maryland. These rivers flow into the upper part of the Chesapeake Bay.
What Kind of Home Does It Like?
Chesapeake logperch are freshwater fish that live near the bottom of rivers. They prefer clear, medium-sized rivers with gravelly areas called "runs" and "riffles." Riffles are shallow, fast-flowing parts of a stream.
They also like deeper, flowing pools that have large rocks and boulders. All known groups of these fish have been found in big rivers or near where smaller streams join large rivers. Scientists don't know much about where these fish lay their eggs.
How Do Scientists Identify It?
For a long time, scientists thought the Chesapeake logperch was the same as the common logperch. But in 2008, a scientist named Near found that it was a different species. He looked closely at its body shape and its DNA.
The Chesapeake logperch has some special features that make it unique. It usually has 7 to 11 wavy stripes on its sides. Males often have an orange-yellow band and spines on their front top fin. Their neck area is smooth, and their scales feel rough. These rough scales are called ctenoid scales.
Helping the Chesapeake Logperch
The Chesapeake logperch is considered a threatened species in Pennsylvania and Maryland. This is because it only lives in a small part of where it used to be found.
In 2019, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) started a project to help this fish. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) led this effort. They wanted to learn more about the fish's life and bring it back to areas where it used to live.
As part of the project, adult fish were collected from the Susquehanna River. About 1,500 young fish were raised in labs. These labs included Conservation Fisheries, Inc. in Tennessee and Penn State University in Pennsylvania.
On September 26, 2019, many groups worked together to release 1,500 young Chesapeake logperch. They released them into Chiques Creek in Pennsylvania. The groups included the PFBC, USFWS, Penn State University, Susquehanna River Basin Commission, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Scientists will continue to study the area to see if the released fish survive. They also want to see if the fish are reproducing naturally.
Video
You can watch a video about this research and recovery project here.
