Etheostoma exile

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Etheostoma exile
Etheostoma exile - Iowa Darter.png
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Etheostoma
Species:
E. exile
Binomial name
Etheostoma exile
(Girard, 1859)
Synonyms [2]
  • Boleichthys exilisGirard, 1859
  • Poecilichthys exilis (Girard, 1859)

Etheostoma exile, the Iowa 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, along with about 17 other species of darters, is native to the lakes and streams of Iowa.

Contents

In some parts of its range, the Iowa darter is also known as the weed darter, red-sided darter, or yellowbelly. Iowa darters, like many other darters, are about 2-3 in (51–76 mm) in length and may be easily confused with other darters of similar color.

Range

Native distribution of the Iowa darter extends north to central Canada, east to New York, and south to central Illinois, and the species is particularly common in the western Great Lakes drainages and Iowa. Western populations are distributed patchily in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Alberta. They are native in Colorado only in the South Platte River drainage, but recent research has also placed them in the Yampa River (Colorado) and the Green River. [3]

Description

Two Iowa darters, male (on left) and female (on right). Iowa Darters, Male and Female Comparison.JPG
Two Iowa darters, male (on left) and female (on right).

The Iowa darter has a very slim, small body. Its common length is around 5.5 cm and its maximum age is three years. [4] It has a small mouth and snout with scaled opercles and cheeks, two dorsal fins, one which is a spinous-rayed fin and another soft-rayed fin. Its caudal fin is squarish and the pectoral fins and pelvic fins are located close to each other behind the gills. It has an anal fin with two (rarely one) spines and an incomplete lateral line. The male and female Iowa darters have different color patterns. During breeding, males are olivaceous dorsally with darker splotches across the top of their backs. Their sides are red with blue rectangular blotches and ventrally they are whitish with a dark wedge shape below the eyes. The bottom half of the spiny dorsal fin has blue spots between the spines and above the spots is a succession of three bands, orange on the bottom, clear in the middle, and then blue on the outside. Females are olive-brown dorsally with darker splotches across the top of their backs. Their sides are mottled and fade into a silver-white on their bellies. They also have a dark wedge shape below the eyes that is well developed. [5]

Habitat and habits

Iowa darters prefer cool, clear water over a sand or organic-matter substrate. [5] They lack swim bladders, so sink to the stream or lake bottom. To move around, they make short dashes of astonishing speed (hence the name), often faster than the human eye can follow. The darter can zip along stream and lake substrate looking for food using less energy than other fish, which would keep floating up off the bottom. [6]

Diet

The Iowa darter eats copepods, water fleas, and midge and mayfly larvae it finds in underwater vegetation. It has never been found in the stomach of any fish-eating animal because it is too quick to catch. [6]

Conservation status

Iowa darters are considered vulnerable due to decreasing abundance and distribution. They appear to be decreasing in distribution over the last decade, and the limiting factor seems to be their habitats. This may be due to increasing turbidity limiting their preferred habitat. [7]

Reproduction

Iowa darters spawn mainly in the spring. They migrate from deeper regions of lakes and streams to the shallow, vegetated reaches for spawning. Males typically migrate before females, and maintain and defend small territories near undercut banks with rooted vegetation. Smaller males, however, are promiscuous, do not defend territories, and move from place to place in search of females. When a female enters a male's territory, the male courts the female by swimming around her until she positions herself near algae or rooted vegetation. The male mounts the female and positions himself with his pelvic fins in front of her dorsal fin. The anal and caudal fins of the male are placed on the same side of the female. Most spawning occurs at depths of 10–40 cm on fibrous roots beneath slightly undercut banks, although some eggs are laid directly on sand or on roots or other plant materials on sand. During each spawning act, three to seven eggs are deposited. Following the completion of spawning, the eggs receive some protection in that by continuing to maintain his territory, the male indirectly guards the eggs. Females mate with several males, then return to deeper habitats following spawning. [8]

Lifecycle

The spawned eggs of the Iowa darter average around a 1.1 mm in diameter. Their developmental time is around 18–26 days at 13-16 °C and the newly hatched darters are around 3.4 mm in standard length. The hatching size is around 3.6 mm total length, and most major structural features, including the pectoral fin, first dorsal fin, second dorsal fin, and the branchiostegal rays, were formed when the larvae were between 7.7 and 9.1 mm. Much of the lateral line sensory system was formed when the larvae reached about 20 mm. [9]

Etymology

The genus name, Etheostoma, is from the Greek etheo meaning strain or filter and stoma meaning mouth. The species name, exile, also Greek, means slim or slender. [9]

Related Research Articles

Rainbow darter Species of fish

The rainbow darter is a small 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 North America where it is found in small, fast-moving streams and small to medium-sized rivers. It grows to 2 to 3 inches in length. The species is very sensitive to pollution and silt, staying in clean, pollution-free water. The rainbow darter is easily identified by three dark spots on the back, and blue and orange in the dorsal and anal fins.

The Arkansas 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 is found in Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Colorado, and Oklahoma.

Trispot darter Species of fish

The trispot 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 northern Georgia and southern Tennessee in the United States, where it occurs in the Conasauga River and its tributaries and historically in the Alabama River system. It requires two interconnecting habitats; outside the breeding season it occupies the peripheral zones of the main river, with slow-moving water and silt gravel substrates with vegetation cover; during the breeding season it moves to warmer water with a clay-bottomed substrate with much vegetation. The population of this fish is declining due to loss of suitable habitat because of stream impoundment and land development. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "vulnerable".

Channel darter Species of fish

The channel 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 native to North America where it typically occurs in the sandy or gravelly shallows of lakes and in small and medium-sized rivers in riffles over sand, gravel or rock bottoms. It is a small fish ranging from 34 to 72 mm in length, olive brown with darker speckles and sometimes with a dark spot below the eye and dark blotches along the flank. It feeds mostly on insect larvae and other small invertebrates and breeds in small streams. This species is listed as threatened by the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA) but overall it has a wide range and numerous sub-populations and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as a "least concern species".

Johnny darter Species of fish

The johnny 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 native to shallow waters throughout North America east of the Rocky Mountains.

Vermilion darter 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.

Greenside darter 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.

Mud darter Species of fish

The mud 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 lowlands of the Mississippi River basin from Wisconsin and Minnesota south to Louisiana and East Texas. It is also found in the drainages of the Sabine and Neches Rivers of Texas and Louisiana. It can be found in slow-moving waters on riffles in rivers, as well as in creeks, swamps, lakes, and reservoirs. It mostly consumes the larvae of midges and blackflies. This species can reach a length of 7.1 cm (2.8 in), though most only reach a length of 5 cm (2.0 in).

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 it 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”.

Bluebreast darter Species of fish

The bluebreast darter is a small 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 from New York and Illinois to Tennessee and North Carolina.

Coosa darter 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 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 least 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 generally found in lakes and streams in northeastern part of the United States and along the Mississippi River systems.

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 cypress 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 fresh waters of the central and eastern United States. Its range includes drainages from the Choctawhatchee River, Florida, to the San Jacinto River, Texas, as well as the Mississippi River basin from southern Illinois and eastern Oklahoma to the Gulf of Mexico. It inhabits vegetated margins of swamps and lakes, and backwater habitats during the summer, while in winter it moves to flooded riffles and backwater bayous. It feeds mostly on small crustaceans, as well as insects and their larvae. Spawning takes place during spring and summer, with clusters of up to three eggs being laid, often stuck to the surface of dead leaves. The cypress darter has a very wide range and its population trend seems to be stable. It is a common species with numerous sub-populations, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Snubnose darter 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.

Speckled darter Species of fish

The speckled 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 southeastern United States. It occurs in the Mississippi River basin and through the Gulf Coast drainages. It is also found in the Clinch River and the Powell River. This species inhabits rocky or sandy pools in flowing waters up to the size of medium rivers with fast currents. It can reach a length of 6.1 centimetres (2.4 in) TL though most only reach about 4 centimetres (1.6 in).

Cherokee darter 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.

Redfin darter Species of fish

The redfin 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 native to the south-central United States, where it occurs in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and eastern Oklahoma.

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.

References

  1. ↑ NatureServe (2013). "Etheostoma exile". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T202481A2745219. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202481A2745219.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). "Etheostoma exile" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
  3. ↑ Walford, Cameron D.; Kevin R. Bestgen (2008). "The nonnative Iowa darter (Etheostoma exile) established in the Yampa River, Colorado, and Green River, Utah". Southwestern Naturalist. 53 (4): 529+. doi:10.1894/GG-24.1. S2CID   84905608.
  4. ↑ Page, L.M.; B.M. Burr (1991). A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. p. 432.
  5. 1 2 "NDIS Iowa Darter Wildlife Page". Natural Diversity Information Source. Colorado Division of Wildlife. 5 May 2011. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  6. 1 2 Dickson, Tom. (2009). "Iowa Darter Etheostome exile". Montana Outdoors. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  7. ↑ "Iowa Darter - Etheostoma exile" (PDF). Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  8. ↑ Winn, Howard E. (1958). "Comparative Reproductive Behavior and Ecology of Fourteen Species of Darters (Pisces-Percidae)". Ecological Monographs. 28: 155–191. doi:10.2307/1942207. JSTOR   1942207.
  9. 1 2 Piller, Kyle R. "Fishes of Wisconsin". USGS Center for Integrated Data Analytics, Southeastern Louisiana University. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
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