The `@` symbol is a variable by itself, what is very clear from it's name, even more because `$` certainly isn't and I also don't think `%` is one (that last is for dictionaries, by the way).
Another system defined variable is `$_`, that is as well named as the one I cited.
There are many more of those in Perl, but I can't remember them for some reason.
"@" is for an array variable or pulling something in array context. You can have variables declared with $, @, or % depending on whether it is a scalar, array, or hash structure.
From that source it should rather be a joke. What is the meaning of `@` again?