Greenside darter

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Greenside darter
Etheostoma blennioides.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Etheostoma
Species:
E. blennioides
Binomial name
Etheostoma blennioides
Rafinesque, 1819
Synonyms [2]
  • Etheostoma blennioides blennioidesRafinesque, 1819

The greenside darter (Etheostoma blennioides) 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.

Contents

Biology

Greenside darters typically live for three to five years, grow to a maximum of 5.2 inches (132 mm) standard length and sexually mature at one to two years of age. Greenside darters are reproductively active from February to April in the Midwest and Southeastern United States. Spawning occurs over algae- or moss-covered rocks in deep, swift riffles that are guarded by males that vigorously defended against intruders. Females linger in pools below the riffle and move into a male's territory when ready to spawn. Eggs are viscous and stick together in small clumps on green algae (Cladophora), moss (Fontinalis), and riverweed (Podostemaceae). E. blennioides is insectivorous, with analyzed gut contents containing Nematocera larvae, more specifically black fly and midge (Chironomidae) larvae. Significant numbers of mayfly (Ephemeroptera) and caddisfly (Trichoptera) nymphs were also found.

Characteristics

The greenside darters have an elongated body with a long and rounded snout. The dorsum is greenish-brown, with six or seven dark quadrate saddles and the sides with five to eight dark green, typically U- or W-shaped blotches. The nape, cheeks, opercle, and belly are completely scaled, with the breast naked. The anal fin has six to 10 rays (usually eight) and 13-16 pectoral fin rays, and both are bright green in breeding males; caudal fins are yellowish to clear; dorsal fin rays number 12-15, with red basal bands; breeding males have intensely bluish-green nasal and oral areas and sometimes black on the head. [3]

Conservation

E. blennioides is currently secure throughout its range, except in Mississippi, where its habitat was altered by the Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway.

Distribution

The E. blennioides subspecies are believed to have diverged in separate drainage systems and glacial refugia during the Pleistocene ice ages, [4] which destroyed older connections and shaped new river systems. [5]

Etymology

Habitat

Greenside darters inhabit gravel riffles of large creeks to medium rivers and often are found in swift waters over large boulders and large rubble. [3]

Systematics

The greenside darter was first formally described in 1819 by the French naturalist Constantine Samuel Rafinesque (1783-1840) with the type locality given as the Ohio River. [7] Rafinesque placed the new species in a new genus Etheostoma and it was subsequently designated as the type species of that genus by Louis Agassiz in 1854. [8] Rafinesque gave the species the specific name blennoidies because of its resemblance to the blennies. [2]

As previously stated, Miller (1968) concluded the E. blennioides complex consists of the four subspecies above. [4] Unpublished studies by Richard L. Mayden and colleagues indicate E. b. newmanii from the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers may be a valid species and distinct from other members of the complex. [3] The former subspecies, E. b. gustelli has recently been re-elevated to species status, Etheostoma gustelli (Tuckasegee darter) based on lack of hybridization.

Etheostoma blennioides belongs to the subgenus Etheostoma that contains these species:

Etheostoma blennioides is further nested within the greenside darter group that contains E. blennius, E. gutselli, E. inscriptum, E. swannanoa, and E. thalassinum. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Etheostoma</i> Genus of fishes

Etheostoma is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Percidae 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">Kanawha darter</span> Species of fish

The Kanawha 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.

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">Blenny darter</span> Species of fish

The blenny 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 poorly known species which occurs in Alabama and Tennessee where it inhabits swift riffles.

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 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 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.

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

The greenbreast 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 occurs in the systems of the Alabama River and the Black Warrior River. It is an inhabitant of streams and rocky riffles of creeks and smaller rivers. This species can reach a length of 7.9 cm (3.1 in), though most only reach about 5 cm (2.0 in).

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".

<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">Swannanoa darter</span> Species of fish

The Swannanoa 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 drainage of the Tennessee River. It prefers flowing water in riffles in cool, clear mountain streams, with boulder substrates. The diet and natural history of this species have been little studied but are probably similar to those of its close relative, the greenside darter. The population trend of this fish seems to be stable and it is a common species with numerous sub-populations over its limited range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

The seagreen 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 Santee River drainage of North and South Carolina. It inhabits rocky riffles of creeks and small to medium rivers. This species can reach a length of 8.0 cm (3.1 in), though most only reach about 6.0 cm (2.4 in).

The turquoise darter 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 Edisto, Savannah and Altamaha River drainages of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. It inhabits rocky riffles of creeks and small to medium rivers. This species can reach a length of 8.0 cm (3.1 in), though most only reach about 6.0 cm (2.4 in).

The Kentucky 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 upper Green and Gasper River systems in Kentucky. It inhabits rocky pools and adjacent riffles of creeks and small rivers. It has a diet that mainly consists of mayflies, larval blackflies, midges and occasionally various insect larvae. This species can reach a length of 6.5 cm (2.6 in).

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

The Creole 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 Ouachita, Red, Calcasieu and Sabine River drainages in Arkansas and Louisiana. It inhabits gravel riffles, current-swept vegetation and debris in creeks and small to medium rivers. This species can reach a length of 7.4 cm (2.9 in). The creole darter was first formally described in 1969 by Ray S. Bridsong and Leslie William Knapp with the type locality given as the Dugdemona River, Jackson Parish, Louisiana.

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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee River drainage from western Virginia to western Tennessee. It also occurs in the upper Bluestone River drainage in western Virginia. It inhabits current-swept rocky pools and adjacent riffles of creeks and small to medium rivers. This species can reach a length of 6 cm (2.4 in).

References

  1. ↑ NatureServe (2013). "Etheostoma blennioides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T202453A2745023. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202453A2745023.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Etheostome blennoides" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
  3. 1 2 3 Boschung, Herbert T; Mayden, Richard L; Tomelleri, Joseph R (2004). The Fishes of Alabama. Smithsonian Books.
  4. 1 2 Miller, R.V. (1968). "A systematic study of the Greenside darter, Etheostoma blennioides Rafinesque (Pisces: Percidae)". Copeia. 1968 (1): 1–40.
  5. ↑ Dyke, A.S.; Prest, V.K. (1987). "Late Wisconsin and Holocene history of the Laurentide Ice Sheet". Géographie physique et Quaternaire. 41: 237–263.
  6. 1 2 Scharpf, Christopher (2008). Annotated checklist of North American freshwater fishes, including subspecies and undescribed forms, Part IV: Cottidae through Percidae. American Currents. Vol. 34. pp. 20–22.
  7. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Etheostoma blennoides". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  8. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Etheostoma". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 26 September 2020.
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