![]() ![]() The black perch’s species name, jacksoni, is derived from that of A. They are preyed on by harbor seals and Brandt’s and Double-crested Cormorants. ![]() They are taken by anglers fishing at piers, jetties, and rocky shores. ConservationĪlthough the commercial fishery is small, black surfperch are an important recreational fish. Longevityīlack surfperch can live 6-9 years. They camouflage by becoming lighter over sand and darker when in kelp. These perch have been observed changing color to match their environment. Their strongly compressed body structure is important to their being able to withstand the surf’s rough action. Adaptationīlack perch, especially juveniles, are often found swimming in the surf. ![]() They prefer a water depth of about 0.9 m (3 ft) but do swim from subtidal waters to depths of about 24 m (80 ft). Behaviorīlack surfperch are either solitary or are found in small groups. The young are 54-61 mm (2.1-2.4 in) long and fully developed miniature replicas of the adults when they emerge from the female. Nutrients and gases are exchanged through he female’s ovarian walls and the embryo’s vascular fin membranes and hind gut regions. The female continues to carry the developing embryos for as long as 12 months. The fertilized eggs are incubated and hatch prematurely inside the female’s body. A four year female will produce about 30 young. The number of young a female produces at one time increases as she ages. Mature eggs are relatively small, 0.3-0.7 mm (0.01-0.03 in) in diameter. The female surfperch stores the male’s sperm in her body until the ova are mature (sometimes up to 6 months) before fertilization takes place. This ‘nipple’ is used to transfer milt into the female. Internal fertilization is aided by a thickening in front of the male’s anal fin. This ’dance’ can be repeated several times. Both swim together for two or three seconds, separate, and then come back together again. The male fish approaches the female from below. There may also be year-round spawning in some southern California areas. Spawning take place primarily in the spring in southern California and in the late summer-early fall in central California. Like all surfperch, black perch are viviparous. Males and females mature when they are 1-2 years old or at a length of 15 cm (6 in) long. Young black perch pick at their prey to sort out the smaller sized items that are easier for them to swallow. The ability to winnow does not develop until the perch are about a year old. This eating behavior is called winnowing. Prey is swallowed and the unpalatable material is spit out in a cast. Most feeding is over hard bottoms such as pilings and rock and occasionally over sand.īlack surfperch scoop up large amounts of substrate in the mouth and then use special muscles in the throat to separate out ingested prey food from non-nutritive debris. Black perch also prey on crabs, brittle stars, and worms. Turf is a low lying matrix of plants and colonial animals that often covers rocky substrates. The amphipods are located on algae and ‘turf’. These perch feed during the day preferring gammarid amphipods as prey. These fish are usually no more than 38 cm (15 in) long with a weight to 2.04 kg (4.5 lb). There is a patch of enlarged scales between the pectoral and ventral fins. The anal fin often has a narrow blue stripe along the base. The anal and pelvic fins may be orange to red. Coloration can be silvery, orange-brown, light tan, pale greenish-white, and even have a blue tinge. The upper body coloration reflects the substrate they are over and whether it is spawning time. They have thick yellow-orange lips and there may be a ‘mustache’ above the upper lip. Physical Characteristicsīlack perch have a compressed body that is shaped like a football. They prefer kelp forests for a habitat but they can also be found around piers, over sand, and in estuaries where there is eelgrass. More commonly central California to Baja California, Mexico Habitatīlack perch are common inhabitants of shallow rocky subtidal areas. Geographic Distributionįort Bragg in northern California to central Baja California. The Aquarium habitats for black perch are the Amber Forest in the Southern California/Baja Gallery and the Shorebird Sanctuary. CLIMATE CHANGE: Not Applicable At the Aquarium ![]()
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