pirate perch

noun

1. a purplish North American freshwater fish, Aphredoderus sayanus, the adult of which has the vent located in back of the lower jaw.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pirate perch¹

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Example Sentences

"It's exciting to see what the next step is going to be when they actually nail down what the mechanism is that the pirate perch are using," Knouft said.

From Scientific American

About five-and-a-half inches long and found in eastern North American lakes and streams, pirate perch – so named because they tend to eat other fish in aquariums – already have a reputation of being peculiar.

From Scientific American

Among the pirate perch's oddities: it is the only member of the fish family Aphredoderidae, and its anus is located up near its chin.

From Scientific American

Just how the pirate perch is chemically masking its presence is unclear.

From Scientific American

The scientists are also planning further studies to determine which chemical signals beetles and frogs use to identify fish - and then see if these cues might be missing in pirate perch.

From Scientific American