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Snakehead (fish)

Rainwater killifish

sheepshead minnow

Percopsis omiscomaycus- This will be the article I will edit. Things could be done: More organization. More subtopics should be made using the information that is already in the article. Some subtopics could be taxonomy, history, description ( subtopics for this could be physiology, habitat and distribution, breeding and reproduction, diet, predation, ecological role), uses and parasites that affects this species. Some sources:

Article addition draft:

Percopsis Omiscomaycus

Taxonomy (under the table of contents) The trout-perch belongs to kingdom Animalia, meaning that are multicellular eukaryotes organism. Furthermore, the trout-perch is included in the phylum chordata, which are organism that have or have had at some point of their lives a pharyngeal slit, dorsal nerve cord, notochord, and post-anal tail. Also, this phylum chordata have about 43,700 species. In addition, the trout-perch is classified in the subphylum vertebrata. They are part of this subphylum because they have a spinal column. The trout-perch belongs to the superclass osteichthyes, which means bony fish, the family percopsidae, the genus percopsis, and species omiscomaycus. The genus and species names is the reason its scientific name is percopsis omiscomaycus. In relation to its evolution, DNA analyses supports a monophyletic group composed of Polymixia and Percopsis . This means these two families shared a common ancestor that it is not shared with any other families. Ecological role (below breeding) Although trout-perch are abundant fish, their ecological roles have not been well studied and are still not well understood. A study was conducted in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron to learn about the ecological role of the trout-perch. Some results were collect, but there is still more to learn about this species. The study illustrated trout-perch prefer to feed from Chironomidae larvae, but during some months and trout-perch sizes, there was a slight difference in the feeding source. Bigger fish of this species preferred to feed of Amphipoda, whereas smaller fish feed of Zooplankton. Chironomidae and Amphipoda, seemingly the most important diet items for trout-perch in Saginaw Bay, were also important numeric diet items consumed by trout-perch in other systems. The study also revealed that walleye do not normally feed on trout-perch as it is believed, and they would only eat trout-perch only when other species they normally eat are not found. Trout-perch showed to be numerically important for the area. The ecological role of this species is still poor understood, but due to the abundance of this species due to this study, it is believed trout-perch plays an important role in the equilibrium of its habitat. Parasites (below ecological role) Trout-perch fish have been found infected by a variant of Myxobolus procerus. This strain of bacteria produced smaller spores than the original strain of bacteria. These parasites affect mainly muscle fibers and connective tissue. The parasite eventually replaces the entire content of the host cell and appears to halt development before rupturing the outer cell membrane. The only obvious host response was an occasional cyst being invaded by a localized cellular infiltrate. The parasites do not have lethal effects on trout-perch. Also, these parasites cannot be transmitted from fish to humans.

Final Draft

Ecological role (below breeding)

Although the trout-perch are abundant fish, their ecological role have not been well studied and are still not well understood, yet it is believed the trout-perch plays an important role at maintaining the equilibrium of its habitat. A study was conducted in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron to learn about the ecological role of the trout-perch. Some results were collect, but there is still more to learn about this species. An important finding referred to the energy content of the trout-perch, which was higher than other similar species. The energy content of the trout-perch was 4795 joules, whereas yellow perch and round goby energy content were lower; 4662 joules and 3740 joules respectively.These findings are the main reason, scientists believe the trout-perch is an important source of food for other species in their habitat. Another finding showed that trout-perch prefer to feed from Chironomidae larvae (lake flies larvae), but during some months and trout-perch sizes, there was a slight difference in the feeding source. Bigger fish of this species preferred to feed on Amphipoda, whereas smaller fish feed on Zooplankton. Lake flies, lake flies larvae, and Amphipoda, seem to be the most important diet items for trout-perch in Saginaw Bay. The diet seemed to be the same for trout- perch in other systems besides Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Therefore, Trout-perch showed to be numerically important for the area since it seem to help to maintain the proper amount of species in its environment by serving as a food source and by preying on species, which are increasing and their increased can affect the ecosystem equilibrium.

Parasites (below ecological role)

Trout-perch fish have been found infected by a variant of Myxobolus procerus, which names is Myxobolus intramusculi and is a protist that acts as a muscular parasite. This strain of protist produces smaller (13-14.5 micrometers long vs 15-17 micrometers long), yet identical shape (narrow pyriform) spores than the original strain of protozoa and affects primarily within red and white muscle fibers and only rarely among the subdermal connective tissue in the trout-perch.The parasite grows until it replaces the entire content of the trout-perch cell and appears its developments stops abruptly before rupturing the outer cell membrane of the host cell which means it does not damage the cell significantly and does not has a lethal effect on the host. All the infected trout-perch seemed to have normal health and not any muscle deterioration. The only obvious effect of the parasite was a localized cyst on the area with infected cells. The parasites do not have lethal effects on trout-perch and these parasites cannot be transmitted from fish to humans.