The snail 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 found in East Tennessee freshwater in the United States and in small portions of northern Alabama and Georgia. First recorded in 1973, the snail darter was listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973 by 1975. The species was at the center of a major environmental law controversy that involved a lawsuit seeking to halt the completion of Tellico Dam, which posed a risk of extinction for the snail darter by blocking its migratory route. The case was eventually appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled on it in its 1978 decision Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill.
The fountain 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 headwaters of only two rivers in Texas, United States: the Comal River and the San Marcos River. It is generally smaller than 3 cm (1.2 in) long and feeds on small invertebrates. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States and is also listed as endangered by the IUCN.
The dwarf wedgemussel is an endangered species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae, the river mussels.
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 Maryland 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 considered one of the rarest freshwater fish species in the world, due in part to its incredibly limited geographic range and difficulty of detection. The last sighting of one was in 1988. The Maryland darter is named after the only state in which it is known to occur. The species was long known only by two specimens until being "re-discovered" in 1962. From 1965 into the 1980s, the species was believed to have been confined to a single riffle in Deer Creek. Possible explanations for the decline of the species center around widespread habitat degradation and reduction in water quality resulting from increasing rates of urbanization within the watershed. While the IUCN has declared the species extinct, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has not, and keeps it on the Endangered Species List.
The watercress 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 from the Black Warrior River drainage basin near Birmingham, Alabama.
Etheostoma osburni, the candy darter or finescale saddled darter, is a species of fish in the family Percidae, a member of the group known as darters. This species is endemic to the eastern United States where it is known only from the Kanawha River system in the states of Virginia and West Virginia.
The Bayou 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 western Mississippi in the United States, where it is found only in Bayou Pierre and its tributaries. Its typical habitat is fast-flowing creeks and streams, in riffles and in areas between riffles with firm gravel bottoms. It feeds on small insects and their larvae. Breeding probably takes place twice a year, in spring and late summer. The population of this fish is declining due to loss of suitable habitat. This is caused by siltation and pollution, particularly erosion caused by changes in land use. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "endangered".
The boulder 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 Alabama and Tennessee in the United States, where it occurs in the Elk River system and Shoal Creek. It is found in small rivers and fast-flowing streams, at least 2 ft (0.6 m) deep, with boulders or a rocky base. It feeds on aquatic insect larvae but little is known of its natural history. The population trend of this fish is unknown but it is affected by a rise in siltation and the impoundment of water within its range by the building of dams. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "vulnerable".
Dromus dromas, the dromedary pearlymussel or dromedary naiad, is a rare species of freshwater mussel in the family Unionidae. This aquatic bivalve mollusk is native to the Cumberland and Tennessee River systems in the United States, where it has experienced a large population decline. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Medionidus penicillatus, the gulf moccasinshell, is a rare species of freshwater mussel in the family Unionidae, the river mussels. This aquatic bivalve mollusk is native to Alabama, Florida, and Georgia in the United States, where it is in decline and has been extirpated from most of the rivers it once inhabited. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Ilex cookii is a species of plant in the family Aquifoliaceae. It is endemic to Puerto Rico. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
The brighteye 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 brighteye darter was first described by Oliver Perry Hay in 1885. He noted it is closely related to the banded darter. Until the 1970s, the brighteye darter was generally believed to be a genetic variation of the banded darter.
Nothonotus microlepidum, the smallscale 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 occurs in the lower Cumberland River drainage in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. It inhabits shallow riffles with gravel substrates in small rivers. Breeding habits of the smallscale darter are typical of the E. maculatum group in that females deposit large masses of eggs on the undersides of rocks to be protected by the males. This species is a fairly large, deep-bodied fish with dark background coloration mixed with bright red spots scattered alongside the body. Nuptial males of this species also have deep green fins with orange margins on the spinous dorsal and caudal fins, with the soft dorsal fins having a dark coloration moving marginally to yellow-orangish center with black margins. This species can reach a length of 7.2 centimetres (2.8 in) TL though most only reach about 4.8 centimetres (1.9 in).
The lollipop 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. Lollipop darters are approximately 1.4 to 2.4 inches long.
The arrow 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 parts of Kentucky and Tennessee, particularly in the Cumberland and Kentucky Rivers. These small fish are part of the perch family. They grow to be about 4.5 inches (11 cm) in length. Their opercle, breast, and cheek are all unscaled. They have a vertical black bar at the base of their caudal fin. Six to nine vertical banded bars run down the side of the fish. The dorsal side of the fish is olive green in color, and the ventral side is a yellow to white pattern. The first dorsal fin has a black base, followed by green color, and then a reddish-orange end. The second dorsal is clear with two rows of laterally lined orange spots. The caudal fin is clear and has two-three vertical lines of orange spots. The anal fin has a green base and then clear at the end. The breeding male has bright orange-red spots and breeding tubercles present on the scales.
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.
The relict 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, where it occurs only in the drainage of the Bayou de Chien. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
The rush darter is a rare and endangered 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 Alabama in the United States, where it occurs in three river systems. It was federally listed as an endangered species of the United States on August 9, 2011.
Collette, B.B., and R.W. Yerger. 1962. The American Percid Fishes of the Subgenus Villora. Tulane Stud. Zool. 9:213-230.
Mettee, M.F., and E. Crittenden. 1979. A study of Etheostoma okaloosae (Fowler) and E. edwini (Hubbs and Cannon) in Northwestern Florida, 1975-78. Rep. to U.S. Fish and Wild. Serv., Atlanta, GA.
Ogilvie, V.E. 1980. Endangered Wildlife Project. E-1, Study I-J: Okaloosa darter investigation. Completion report, October 1, 1977-June 3O, 1980. Fla. Fresh Water Fish Comm., Tallahassee.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1981. Recovery Plan for the Okaloosa Darter (Etheostoma okaloosae). Prepared by the Okaloosa Darter Recovery Team for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta Georgia. 24 pp.
Yerger, R.W. 1978. Okaloosa Darter, pp. 2–4. In C.R. Gilbert (ed.). Rare and endangered biota of Florida. Vol. 4, Fishes. Univ. Press. Fla., Gainesville.
