Volga pikeperch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Volga pikeperch |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Percidae |
| Genus: | Sander |
| Species: |
S. volgensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sander volgensis (Gmelin, 1789)
|
|
| Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
The Volga pikeperch, also called the Volga zander (its scientific name is Sander volgensis), is a type of fish. It belongs to the perch family, called Percidae. You can find this fish in many countries. These include Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Volga pikeperch is smaller than its cousin, the common zander. It can grow up to about 40 centimeters (16 inches) long. It usually weighs around 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds).
One way to tell it apart is its teeth. Unlike the common zander, it doesn't have big, fang-like teeth. Its body color is more silvery-grey instead of green. It also has very clear dark stripes on its sides. Its second back fin has 19 to 21 soft rays. It has 70 to 83 scales along its lateral line. This is a special line of sensory organs that helps fish feel vibrations in the water.
Where Does It Live?
The Volga pikeperch lives in the northern part of the Black Sea basin. You can find it from the Danube River all the way to the Kuban River. It also lives in the Caspian Sea basin. This includes the Volga River and Ural River areas.
This fish likes to live in big, cloudy rivers and lakes. It can also be found in estuaries. These are places where fresh river water mixes with salty ocean water. It might travel short distances to find a good place to breed.
Life Cycle and Habits
The Volga pikeperch is most active when the sun is setting or rising. During these times, it hunts for food. It eats small fish and tiny water creatures called invertebrates.
Male Volga pikeperch are ready to have babies when they are three or four years old. Females are ready a year later. They need to be at least 20 centimeters (8 inches) long. Breeding happens in April and May. They look for shallow water with a sandy or rocky bottom.
The male fish makes a small dip in the sand or among plant roots. The female then lays her eggs there. She usually lays two or three small groups of eggs. After the eggs hatch, the baby fish (larvae) and young fish swim freely in the water. They eat tiny floating animals called zooplankton.
How It Got Its Name
The Volga pikeperch was first officially described in 1789. A German scientist named Johann Friedrich Gmelin gave it the name Perca volgensis. He found it in the Volga River and the Ural River in Russia.
Scientists group fish like the Volga pikeperch to understand how they are related. The Volga pikeperch is related to other fish in the Sander group. This group includes the walleye and the sauger from North America. It also includes the common zander and the estuarine perch from Europe.
What Is Its Status?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) keeps track of how many animals are left in the wild. They have listed the Volga pikeperch as "Least Concern". This means there are still many of them, and they are not in danger of disappearing. It lives in a wide area, and scientists haven't found any major threats to its population.
 | Laphonza Butler |
 | Daisy Bates |
 | Elizabeth Piper Ensley |
