Eurasian ruffe

Gymnocephalus cernua

Русское название: Ёрш обыкновенный

A small spiny-finned relative of perch that feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Introduced populations can alter food webs. Moving live fish between waters is ecologically risky.

✳ Scientific names are used to reduce confusion between local names.

◎Distribution

Europe and northern Asia; introduced elsewhere

♧Habitat

Lakes and rivers, often near the bottom

✺Identification limits

Images and brief descriptions are for learning, not for reliably identifying a specimen. Take particular care with poisonous plants and mushrooms.

Further reading and image creditsGymnocephalus cernua — Wikipedia overview ↗Photo, author and license — Wikimedia Commons ↗

Identification is never guaranteed by a photo. Scientific names are used to reduce confusion between local names.

THE WORLD ATLAS

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Guides from this topic

Six common freshwater fish in Europe: names and habitatsMeet pike, perch, trout, zander, tench and carp with scientific names and conservation context.Fishing responsibly: clean gear before moving between watersRods, boots, nets and boats can transport organisms that harm another lake or river.Catch and release: how to reduce harm to fishWet hands, minimal handling and quick release can make a real difference.