Morphological variation of perchPerca fluviatilisin humic lakes: the effect of predator density, competition and prey abundance

Between and within-lake variations in morphology of perch Perca fluviatilis were studied in four humic lakes in eastern Finland. Perca fluviatilis were more streamlined and smaller headed in a lake with the highest abundance of cyprinids, but lowest abundance of predators (Lake Tuopanjarvi), indicating adaptation to planktivorous feeding and low predator density. Highest bodied fish were found from a lake with the lowest cyprinid but highest predator abundance (Lake Koppelojarvi), which conversely indicates adaptation to more effective predator avoidance. Furthermore, the length of the paired fins was longest in Lake Kinnasjarvi and Lake Tuopanjarvi, where the abundance of benthic macroinve…