Naked sand darter

Last updated

Naked sand darter
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Ammocrypta
Species:
A. beanii
Binomial name
Ammocrypta beanii

The naked sand darter (Ammocrypta beanii) 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. [2] It is found in the south-eastern United States.

Contents

Description

The naked sand darter is a small fish ranging in size from 40 to 50 mm (1.6 to 2.0 in) long, the maximum being around 64 mm (2.5 in). Being a long thin darter, it is devoid of scales with the exception of a few rows above and below the lateral line and sometimes the caudal peduncle. Slightly transparent in life with a yellow color and iridescent operculum, the naked sand darter blends in with its habitat. It has darker bands in the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins with a whitish base and tip. Males of breeding size with have a dark spot at the front of the dorsal fin. Unlike similar darters, it does not have an opercular spine. [3]

Diet

Larvae of small fish are the primary source of food for naked sand darters. They also feed on smaller crustaceans like copepods or clam larvae depending on their size. Naked sand darters feed continuously throughout the day, but stop at night. They also feed less in winter and summer months then pick back up before and after breeding season. [3]

Habitat

Naked sand darters prefer the sandy bottoms of clean, freshwater rivers and streams. [2] They can be found about 1 m deep on the bottom, digging into the sand to wait for prey to swim by. [1]

Distribution

They can be found exclusively along the Gulf of Mexico in the rivers and drainages of eastern Louisiana to as far east as the Mobile Bay drainage in Alabama. [1] Naked sand darters have been found as far north as West Tennessee. [3]

Reproduction and lifecycle

Breeding season is from March or April until September or October when water temperatures are between 17 and 29 °C (63 and 84 °F). Males develop tubercles on their anal and pelvic fins to aid in fighting for females. Females can produce from 12–122 eggs at a time and reach sexual maturity after a year. They only live 24 to 30 months. [2]

Taxonomy and etymology

The naked sand darter was first formally described in 1877 by the American ichthyologist David Starr Jordan (1851-1931) with the type locality given as the Natalbany River, near Tickfaw, Louisiana. [4] It is the type species of the genus Ammocrypta , which Jordan also originally described. [5] The genus name, Ammocrypta, comes from the Greek word ammos meaning sand and the Greek kryptos meaning hidden. The specific name, beanii, comes from the first collector of the species, Tarleton H. Bean (1846-1915). [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadow bass</span> Species of fish

The shadow bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. It is endemic to southeastern United States of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arctic lamprey</span> Species of jawless fish

The Arctic lamprey, also known as the Japanese river lamprey or Japanese lampern, is a species of lamprey, a jawless fish in the order Petromyzontiformes. It inhabits coastal freshwater habitat types in the Arctic. Some populations are anadromous, spending part of their lives in the ocean. It is the most common and widespread lamprey in the Arctic region.

<i>Ammocrypta</i> Genus of fishes

Ammocrypta is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fish, commonly known as the sand darters, which is classified in the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae which also includes the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. The species in the genus occur in eastern North America in Canada and the continental 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">Eastern sand darter</span> Species of fish

The eastern sand 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. The eastern sand darter is a relatively small fish, most plentiful in the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, as well as Lake Champlain and the Great Lakes. It prefers sandy-bottomed streams and sandy shoals in the lakes. The eastern sand darter feeds on larvae of black flies and other small insects in the water. They also feed on zooplankton in small portions since their small mouth size limits their gape ability. Its average body size is around 1.5-2 in long, and it breeds in the spring and summer in sandy-bottomed waters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Channel darter</span> 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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longnose shiner</span> Species of fish

The longnose shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis.

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

The scaly sand 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. It is found in the coastal plain area of the Mississippi River basin, typically in medium-sized streams with slow currents over sandy substrates where it feeds on midge larvae and other small invertebrates. The slender body is semi-translucent, yellowish with a dozen or so dark bars. This fish has a wide range and is relatively common, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists it as a "least-concern species".

<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">Western sand darter</span> Species of fish

The western sand 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 central United States.

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

The bluntnose 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 eastern North America where it is found in slower moving and still waters.

<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.

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

The swamp 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.

<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">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".

Percina phoxocephala, the slenderhead 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 North America in the central Ohio and Mississippi River basins, to northeastern South Dakota and the Lake Winnebago system in Wisconsin, and as far south as the Red River in eastern Oklahoma and northeast Texas, typically in small to medium size rivers. It is a colorful species, with an average length of 6 to 9 centimeters. Males take on a deeper hue during the breeding season. It feeds on insect larvae and other small invertebrates, and spawns between April and June. It is a common fish with a very wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified its conservation status as being of "least concern".

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

The tessellated 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 Canada and the United States. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the johnny darter, which it greatly resembles in general appearance.

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

The Florida sand 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 Gulf Coast drainages from the Aplalachicola to the Perdido River in Florida and southern Alabama. It inhabits streams with waters that are clear to tannin-stained where there are shifting sand bottoms and a moderate to fast flow. It is most frequently encountered where there is a moderate current in medium-sized to large streams, but it will enter smaller streams on occasion. Its appearance is identical to the naked sand darter aside from 2 black bands on each dorsal fin. This species can reach a length of 7.1 cm (2.8 in), though most are only about 4.7 cm (1.9 in) in length, at depths of 61 to 122 centimetres. The Florida sand darter was first formally described in 1975 by James D. Williams with the type locality given as the Choctawhatchee River, 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) west of Pittman, Florida. This species forms a clade with the naked sand darter the Western sand darter.

The southern sand 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 rivers draining into Mobile Bay in the southeastern United States where it inhabits sandy sections of flowing waters from streams to large rivers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 NatureServe (2013). "Ammocrypta beanii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T202426A2744477. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202426A2744477.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Page, L. M.; H. Espinoa-Pérez; L. T. Findley; et al. (2013). Common and scientific names of the fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, 7th edition. Special Publication 34, Bethesda Maryland. American Fisheries Society.
  3. 1 2 3 Ross, Stephen T. & William M. Brenneman (2001). "= Species Accounts". The inland fishes of Mississippi. University Press of Mississippi, Jackson. pp. 449–451.
  4. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Ammocrypta beanii". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  5. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Ammocrypta". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  6. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Ammocrypta beanii" in FishBase . December 2019 version.