Blenny darter

Last updated

Blenny darter
Blennius01.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Etheostoma
Species:
E. blennius
Binomial name
Etheostoma blennius

The blenny darter (Etheostoma blennius) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is a poorly known species which occurs in Alabama and Tennessee where it inhabits swift riffles.

Contents

Description

The blenny darter is a moderately-sized but rather robust darter. It has 4 dark saddle like blotches across its back, the anterior blotch being the most distinct and these blotches becoming progressively more indistinct towards the caudal fin. The upper flanks are frequently marked with spots which are occasionally arranged in vertical bars. There is also a series of small partially-fused blotches along the lateral line between the second and fourth saddle blotches. The lower flank is irregularly spotted and the belly is pale. The upper gill cover is dark and contrasts with the pale lower part and cheek. Males have some markings on the breast but females are plain. Males also have a dark margin to the spiny part of the dorsal fin which is not always present in females. The spines in the dorsal fins of female are alternately dark and uncolored whereas all the spines in the males dorsal fin are colorless, the membrane in the dorsal fin being clear in females and spotted in males. The cheek, gill cover and breast are scaleless while the belly and nape are scaled. When spawning the males darken to almost black on the head and the fins become more intensely colored. [2] The maximum published total length is 8.3 centimetres (3.3 in), although around 5.7 centimetres (2.2 in) is more common. [3]

Distribution

The blenny darter is native to the southeastern United States and is found in Alabama and Tennessee, in small to large tributaries of the Tennessee River drainage, more specifically the Buffalo, Duck, and Sequatchie Rivers, and White Oak Creek, Tennessee. The species has a more-limited distribution in Alabama and is restricted to Tennessee River tributaries within the Tennessee Valley of the Highland Rim. [2]

Habitat and biology

The blenny darter's habitat is gravel and rubble riffles in creeks and small to medium rivers which have clear water. They appear to be nocturnal and collecting at night in suitable habitat has obtained many specimens. It most likely uses the riffles to spawn in too. [4] They live for a maximum of two to three years and are sexually mature at one year. [5] It is reproductively active throughout March and April. [2] Mature eggs are orange and translucent.[ citation needed ] The fish are insectivorous, with analyzed gut contents containing Nematocera larvae, more specifically black fly (Simuliidae) and midge (Chironomidae) larvae. Significant numbers of mayfly (Ephemeroptera) and caddisfly (Trichoptera) nymphs were also found. [3]

Taxonomy and etymology

The blenny darter was first formally described in 1887 by the American zoologists Charles Henry Gilbert (1859-1928) and Joseph Swain (1857-1927) with the type locality given as Cox's Creek and tributary of the Tennessee River near Florence, Alabama. [6]

There are 51 morphological characteristics which were used to indicate that the Swannanoa darter (E. swannanoa) is the blenny darter's closest relative and E. swannanoa is in a clade called the seagreen darter group after the seagreen darter (E. thalassinum)

There are two recognized subspecies:

The generic name Etheostoma is a compound of the Greek etheo meaning "filter or strain" and stoma meaning "mouth" while the specific name blennius refers to the resemblance of this species to a marine blenny. The subspecific name sequatchiense means "of the Sequatchie River". [8]

Conservation

Herbert T. Boschung and Richard L. Mayden (2004) recommend Etheostoma blennius for Special Concern status in Alabama due to its limited distribution. Much of the area in Alabama where the species occurs is proposed for a number of floodwater-retarding dams, and such structures would greatly degrade the remaining habitat. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Etheostoma</i> Genus of fishes

Etheostoma is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Percidae, and within the sub-family Etheostomatinae, native to North America. Most are restricted to the United States, but species are also found in Canada and Mexico. They are commonly known as darters, although the term "darter" is shared by several other genera. Many can produce alarm pheromones that serve to warn nearby fish in case of an attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slackwater darter</span> Species of fish

The slackwater darter is a small species of the freshwater ray-finned fish and a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. Some authors consider it to be a member of the stippled darter group. The slackwater darter has a conspicuous dark subocular bar and three prominent saddles. It is rather drab in color, with the dorsum being dusky, olivaceous, or brownish. The lateral blotches are dark brown to blue-black. The venter is slightly dusky and may have some orange and yellow pigments, which are more intense in males than in females. Maximum size is about 55 millimetres (2.2 in) standard length.

The coldwater darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the United States, where it occurs in the Coosa River system of Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vermilion darter</span> Species of fish

The vermilion darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the southern United States, where it only is found in Turkey Creek in Jefferson County, Alabama, part of the Mobile Bay drainage basin. It was first described by Herbert Boschung in 1992, who was the curator of ichthyology at the University of Alabama, along with biologist Richard Mayden and scientific illustrator Joseph Tomelleri. On December 7, 2010, the US Fish and Wildlife Service designated 13 mi (21 km) of Turkey Creek watershed as critical habitat for the darter. According to the IUCN, the population of this fish is declining.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenside darter</span> Species of fish

The greenside darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It inhabits swift riffles in the eastern United States and southern Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffalo darter</span> Species of fish

The buffalo darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is found in the tributaries of the lower Duck and lower Tennessee Rivers. It is distinguished from other darter species by the presence of eight anal rays, as well breeding males having a unique hump behind the head reminiscent of a buffalo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coosa darter</span> Species of fish

The Coosa darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States.

The golden darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is found in the upper Tennessee River, one of the over 300 fish species found in Tennessee.

The stone darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States.

The stripetail darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States. It is found in small rivers and streams in the states of Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Males are a golden-orange color with black barring on the fins, and grow to a length of about 2.8 in (7 cm). This fish feeds on midge larvae and other small invertebrates. It breeds in the spring; eggs are attached to the substrate, often under slab rocks, where they are guarded by the male. The population trend of this fish seems to be stable and it is a common species with numerous sub-populations over a wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

The goldstripe darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the southeastern United States where it is found in Gulf Slope streams from the Colorado River drainage in Texas to the Flint River in Georgia, the Atlantic Slope in Ocmulgee River system, Georgia, and the Mississippi embayment north as far as southeastern Missouri and western Kentucky. It is typically found in small springs, streams, and creeks with aquatic and marginal vegetation and detritus. The female spawns on multiple occasions between about mid-March and June, sticking the adhesive eggs to plants, gravel and the sides of rocks. The goldstripe darter is a common species with a wide range and numerous sub-populations, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snubnose darter</span> Species of fish

The snubnose darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the southeastern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf darter</span> Species of fish

The gulf darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is found in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and Kentucky. It is a colorful fish, males having vertical barring of red-orange and blue-green near the tail, growing to a length of about 7.8 centimeters (3.1 in). It is typically found in small and medium-sized creeks, often in very shallow water. It occurs over sandy bottoms and among aquatic vegetation such as Sparganium americanum, foraging among the plants and organic debris for insect larvae and small invertebrates. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherokee darter</span> Species of fish

The Cherokee darter is a rare species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to Georgia in the United States, where it is limited to the Etowah River system. It inhabits creeks with rocky bottoms and little silt, typically occurring just above and below riffles. It is a whitish or yellowish fish with green and black spots on the flanks and eight dark saddle-like bars dorsally. It has a small range and its habitat is being degraded and fragmented, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being endangered.

<i>Etheostoma etowahae</i> Species of fish

Etheostoma etowahae, the Etowah darter, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is a rare species which is endemic to Georgia in the United States, where it occurs only in the Etowah River and two of its tributaries. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christmas darter</span> Species of ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae

The Christmas darter i is a species of ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae which includes the perches, ruffes and pike-perches. It is found in the Savannah, Ogeechee and Altamaha catchment areas in South Carolina and Georgia. It is a small but colorful fish, typically less than 5 cm (2 in) in total length, with blackish, red and green streaks on its flanks. Green and red are associated with Christmas, hence the common name Christmas darter. Like other darters, it lives on or close to the stream-bed, in riffles and vegetation-laden stretches of small rivers, creeks and spring-fed streams. It feeds on aquatic insects and probably breeds in the spring, but its biology and behavior are poorly known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savannah darter</span> Species of fish

The Savannah darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States, where it occurs in the Edisto, Combahee, Broad and Savannah River drainages in South Carolina and Georgia. It inhabits gravel riffles, gravel and sand runs of creeks and small rivers. This species can reach a length of 7.4 cm (2.9 in).

The Sequatchie darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States, where it occurs only in the Sequatchie River in Tennessee. It is considered by some authorities to be a subspecies of the blenny darter.

The lipstick darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States, where it occurs in the Tallapoosa River drainage above the Fall Line in Alabama and Georgia. It inhabits rocky riffles of creeks and small to medium rivers.

The East Rim darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States. The species has a range of 400-2000 sq. miles across tributaries of the Cumberland River from Fishing Creek in Kentucky to just below the Obey River in Tennessee. It inhabits current-swept rocky pools and adjacent riffles of creeks and small to medium rivers.

References

  1. ↑ NatureServe (2013). "Etheostoma blennius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T202454A2745030. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202454A2745030.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Robert A. Kuehne; Roger W. Barbour (2014). American Darters. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 75–76. ISBN   978-0813165257.
  3. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Etheostoma blennius" in FishBase . December 2019 version.
  4. ↑ Hammerson, G. & J. M. Pierson (2011). "Blenny darter Etheostoma blennius". NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe.
  5. ↑ Burr, Brooks M (1979). "Systematics and Life History Aspects of the Percid Fish Etheostoma blennius with Description of a New Subspecies from Sequatchie River, Tennessee". Copeia. 1979 (2): 191–203. doi:10.2307/1443403. JSTOR   1443403.
  6. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Etheostoma (Rothoeca) blennius". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  7. 1 2 Boschung, Herbert T; Mayden, Richard L; Tomelleri, Joseph R (2004). The Fishes of Alabama. Smithsonian Books.
  8. ↑ Scharpf, Christopher (2008). "Annotated checklist of North American freshwater fishes, including subspecies and undescribed forms, Part IV: Cottidae through Percidae". American Currents. 34 (4): 20–22.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.