Cherry darter

Last updated

Cherry darter
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Etheostoma
Species:
E. etnieri
Binomial name
Etheostoma etnieri
Bouchard, 1977

The cherry darter (Etheostoma etnieri) 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 upper Caney Fork system of the Cumberland River drainage in the U.S. state of Tennessee.

Contents

Appearance and anatomy

The largest males have a standard length of 64 mm (2.5 in) and the largest females 55 mm (2.2 in). [2]

Distribution

The cherry darter is endemic to the upper Caney Fork system of the Cumberland River drainage, central Tennessee. The species is limited to streams flowing over limestones of the Mississippian Eastern Highland Rim. They do not occur in cool, slightly acidic headwaters or in the lower portion of Caney Fork River system. [2] The range includes White, Putnam, Warren, Van Buren, and Grundy Counties. [3]

Ecology

Cherry darters feed primarily on aquatic invertebrates and insects, and are known to inhabit a wide range of habitats from springs and small creeks to large rivers. This species has a preference for small- to medium-sized creeks or streams and is usually collected in riffles and runs of moderate to low turbulence, especially over a gravel substrate. In larger streams and rivers, the species is typically found along the margins. [2]

Life history

Cherry darter spawning peaks in April and early May, [4] and they reach sexual maturity at the age of two. [5] The cherry darter has not been studied extensively, so little else is known of its life history.

Status

Currently, no management plan is in place for this species. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency evaluated the cherry darter in 2001 and deemed it stable and not a great conservation need for the agency. [6] Although this fish is present only within a restricted range, it is common in some parts of that range and no evidence indicates populations in general are dwindling or it is in immediate danger of extinction. For these reasons, the IUCN lists this species as being of "Least Concern". [1] The major potential threat is habitat degradation due to chemical runoff from agriculture, siltation, and in some cases effluent from mining. [3]

Taxonomy and etymology

The cherry darter was first formally described in 1977 by Raymond William Bouchard with the type locality given as Cherry Creek at Tennessee State Route 84, this is a tributary to the Calfkiller River, part of the Caney Fork River system in Tennessee. [7] The specific name honours the American biologist David Etnier. [8]

Related Research Articles

The ashy 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 redband 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 state of Tennessee in the eastern United States.

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

The bluemask 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 a federally listed endangered species of the United States. This fish was not formally described until 2009, but it was added to the US Endangered Species List in 1993. During breeding, the male has bright blue patches on its head and other areas. This fish is found only in the Caney Fork River system, a tributary of the Cumberland River in Tennessee. The species name akatulo comes from the Cherokee for "mask", referring to the solid blue coloration on the lower face of the fish.

The Cumberland 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. This species is found in the middle Cumberland River drainage in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. It is absent in reaches above the Big South Fork, rare in North Carolina, and absent in western tributaries of the Tennessee River. While research on the ecology of E. atripinne is not extensive, what is known is they are usually found in small to medium freshwater streams in gravel riffle areas where their eggs can attach to the substrate and be left unguarded. E. atripinne can be found within a wide range of depths in its environment, leading its being classified as benthopelagic. While its global status is secure, the American Fisheries Society labels it with a status of “Special Concern”.

The emerald 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 only in northern and eastern Kentucky and northeastern Tennessee.

The corrugated 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 only known from Caney Fork, Tennessee, where it has been shown to have as many as five subgroups. They are active hunters which prey on insects, fry, and possibly young snails. Multiple species and subspecies of these darters can coexist where substrate is varied, so this must be carefully preserved to accommodate many similar species. With the warming of spring, E. basilare enters its breeding cycle and males develop their dimorphic coloration. Like most darters, it hugs the stream bed, using its body shape and fin posture to maintain its position.

The splendid 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 Barren River system in south-central Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. This species is usually found in small rocky pools on the sides of creeks and rivers.

The greenfin 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 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 saffron 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 is found in streams and creeks in Kentucky and Tennessee.

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 tuxedo 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 Southeast United States in the Cumberland River system.

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".

The firebelly 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 is only known to occur in the drainage systems of the Obion and Forked Deer rivers of Kentucky and Tennessee. It inhabits gravel or sand-bottomed pools in creeks up to small rivers. This species can reach a length of 7 centimetres (2.8 in) TL.

The Citico darter is a threatened 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 native to Tennessee. This species was formerly subsumed within Etheostoma percnurum. The E. percnurum group now consists of four distinct species: E. percnurum, E. marmorpinnum, E. lemniscatum, and E. sitikuense.

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

The orangethroat 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 central and eastern United States where it is native to parts of the Mississippi River Basin and Lake Erie Basin. Its typical habitat includes shallow gravel riffles in cooler streams and rocky runs and pools in headwaters, creeks, and small rivers, with sand, gravel, rubble, or rock substrates. It forages on the bottom for the aquatic larvae of midges, blackfly, mayfly and caddisfly, as well as isopods and amphipods. Spawning takes place in spring, the selected sites often being the upper stretches of riffles with sandy and gravelly bottoms interspersed with larger cobble. Reproductive success is high in this species. No particular threats have been identified, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

The wounded 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. Its range includes the upper Tennessee River drainage, western Virginia, western North Carolina, and eastern Tennessee. Its typical habitat is among boulders or coarse rubble and cobble, often with overhanging ledges, in medium to large slow-moving rivers. It feeds on small insect larvae, especially midge larvae. Spawning occurs when the water warms up in late spring. Females deposit clutches of adhesive eggs on the underside of rock ledges or slabs, and the male guards the nest. The population trend of this fish seems to be decreasing slowly but it is a relatively common species with numerous sub-populations, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". The greatest threat comes from impoundment, and a management plan is in place, including captive breeding.

The Cumberland 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 Kentucky and Tennessee in the United States, where it occurs in the upper Cumberland River tributaries above Cumberland Falls. It was federally listed as an endangered species in the US on August 9, 2011.

The striped 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 lower Cumberland River drainage in Kentucky and Tennessee, in the upper Caney Fork system in central Tennessee; and in Rockcastle River and nearby streams in eastern Kentucky. It inhabits rocky pools of headwaters, creeks and small to medium river. This species can reach a length of 7.8 cm (3.1 in), though most only reach about 4.8 cm (1.9 in).

<i>Nothonotus</i> Genus of fishes

Nothonotus is a genus or subgenus 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. First proposed as a sub-genus of Etheostoma in 1988, there is still debate regarding the appropriate taxonomic rank of Nothonotus in the literature. Darter species comprise more than 180 of the Percidae taxa.

References

  1. 1 2 NatureServe (2013). "Etheostoma etnieri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T202478A2745198. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202478A2745198.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Bouchard, R. W. (1977). "Etheostoma etnieri, a new percid fish from the Caney Fork (Cumberland) River system, Tennessee, with a redescription of the subgenus Ulocentra". Tulane Studies in Zoology and Botany. 19: 105–130.
  3. 1 2 Hicks, D. T. (1990). Distribution and life history aspects of the cherry darter, Etheostoma etnieri (Osteichthyes: Percidae) (Unpublished Thesis). Tennessee Technological University. p. 56.
  4. Kuehne, R. A.; R. W. Barbour (1983). The American Darters. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. p. 177.
  5. Etnier, D. A.; W. C. Starnes (1993). The fishes of Tennessee. Knoxville, Tennessee: University of Tennessee Press. pp. xiv + 681 pp.
  6. "TWRA Fish Web File" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-08-12. Retrieved 2012-11-01.
  7. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Etheostoma etnieri". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  8. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Etheostoma etnieri" in FishBase . December 2019 version.