What evidence confirms P. flavescens and P. fluviatilis should be recognized as separate species?
Answer
Allozyme data
The scientific distinction between *Perca flavescens* (Yellow Perch) and its Eurasian counterpart, *Perca fluviatilis* (European Perch), despite their superficial morphological similarities and shared genus, has been confirmed through genetic analysis. Specifically, alloenzyme data, which examines variations at the enzyme level within the organisms, indicates that these two populations have diverged sufficiently to warrant recognition as distinct species rather than subspecies. This genetic evidence overrides historical confusion rooted in shared appearance, cementing their status as following separate evolutionary trajectories, even though they remain closely related within the genus *Perca*.
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