Speckled darter

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Speckled darter
Etheostoma stigmaeum.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Etheostoma
Species:
E. stigmaeum
Binomial name
Etheostoma stigmaeum
(D. S. Jordan, 1877)
Synonyms [2]
  • Boleosoma stigmaeumD. S. Jordan, 1877

The speckled darter (Etheostoma stigmaeum) 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). [2]

Contents

In 2012, studies found five distinct species that were formerly included in E. stigmaeum. In a paper published in the Bulletin of the Alabama Museum of Natural History, Mayden and Layman described five new species, all named after former U S presidents and one vice president, based on their "leadership in conservation policies":

Description

Speckled darters, Etheostoma stigmaeum, are a member of the family Percidae. They have a moderately blunt snout, with no premaxillary frenum. They can reach a maximum length of about 2.2 inches. They have both spines and rays, their lateral line is incomplete, and their gill covers are slightly connected by a membrane across their throat. The midline of their belly does not have enlarged scales. They have a sandy colored dorsal side and a yellow or white ventral side. There are 6 dark brown saddles and large specks on the dorsum, with 7-11 dark brown blotches down their body. Mating males have turquoise colored bands on their sides and in their fins, as opposed to the typical dark blue. Breeding females are much less brightly colored than the males. They develop extended genital papilla.

Habitat

Speckled darters are freshwater fish. They prefer clear pools of up to 1 m deep, with moderately swift streams. They typically prefer a bottom of sand or sand and gravel.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Spawning in Missouri begins as early as March and ends as late as May, at temperatures between 57°F and 62°F. The eggs are buried in substrate, where there is a relationship between temperature and incubation period, with higher temperatures lessening the time. Typical incubation period is about 9–10 days at about 62-68°F. Larvae hatch at about 4.2-5.2 mm with a functional jaw and well developed pectoral fins.

Distribution

The speckled darter is found in eastern Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas, western Louisiana, Virginia, northwestern Georgia, western Florida, and in the Gulf drainages from the Sabine River to the Pensacola Bay.

Etymology

The scientific name for the speckled darter is Etheostoma stigmaeum. Etheostoma is derived from the etheo, the Greek word for "to strain", and stoma, the Greek word for "mouth". Stigmaeum is the Greek word for "speckled".

Related Research Articles

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

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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.

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

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

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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.

<i>Etheostoma gracile</i> Species of fish

Etheostoma gracile, the slough darter, is a small species of ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae which includes the perches, ruffs and pike-perches. It inhabits slow to moderately flowing waters and with substrates that are predominantly mud, silt, or sand. Major food sources include chironomids, copepods, and cladocerans, as well as mayflies in the spring. Adults reach 35 to 50 mm total length. It is one of the 324 species of fish found in Tennessee.

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The blackfin 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, being found from the Paint Rock River to the Duck River system. It is an inhabitant of small rivers and creeks, living in small pools and nearby riffles. This species can reach a length of 8.8 centimetres (3.5 in) TL.

The barcheek 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 states of Kentucky and Tennessee in the Cumberland River drainage from the Big South Fork down to the Obey River. It is an inhabitant of smaller rivers, streams and creeks where it lives in small, rocky pools. This species can reach a length of 8.4 centimetres (3.3 in) TL though most only reach a length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in).

<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.

The slabrock 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 occurs in the drainages of the lower Cumberland River and the lower Tennessee River in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. It inhabits rocky pools in smaller rivers and streams, and along the rocky margins of larger streams and bodies of water. This species preys on insect larvae and extremely small crustaceans. It can reach a length of 6.2 centimetres (2.4 in) TL though most only reach about 4.1 centimetres (1.6 in). The specific name honors the vertebrate zoologist, Dr. Philip Wayne Smith (1921-1986).

The spottail 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 the Ohio River basin and in the Red River system of the Cumberland River drainage. It inhabits rocky pools and nearby riffles of flowing waters up to the size of small rivers.

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

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.

Etheostoma obama, the spangled 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 Duck River and the Buffalo River, both in Tennessee.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ NatureServe (2013). "Etheostoma stigmaeum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T202537A18230279. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202537A18230279.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2020). "Etheostoma stigmaeum" in FishBase. December 2020 version.
  3. ↑ Crew, Becky (November 29, 2012). "All the Presidents' fish: Five new species named after Obama, Clinton, Roosevelt, Carter and Gore". Scientific American Blogs. Scientific American. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
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