Etheostoma chienense
Encyclopedia
Etheostoma chienense is a rare species of fish in the perch family
known by the common name relict darter. It is endemic to Kentucky
in the United States, where it occurs only in the drainage of the Bayou du Chien, a stream. It is a federally listed endangered species
of the United States.
This fish, part of the Etheostoma squamiceps
species complex
, was formally described in 1992. It grows up to about 7.2 centimeters in length. It is characterized by "lollypop
-like" white knobs on the second dorsal fin of the male that develop during the breeding season.
This fish is known only from the Bayou du Chien, a tributary
of the Mississippi River
in Kentucky. The fish can be found in a 35-kilometer stretch of the river. It shelters in areas where the riverbank is undercut and water flows beneath a mat of roots. The substrate is sand and gravel
covered in leaf litter. This type of habitat is not continuous on the river, with wide spaces between patches of appropriate habitat.
The fish feeds on insects. During reproduction, eggs are stuck to the undersides of sticks and rocks. Only one spawning area has been observed.
This species is limited to one small river system which has been altered and no longer has much habitat or appropriate spawning areas. Agriculture and the channelization of the river have effected these changes.
Percidae
The Percidae are a family of perciform fish found in fresh and brackish waters of the Northern Hemisphere. The family contains about 200 species in ten genera...
known by the common name relict darter. It is endemic to Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
in the United States, where it occurs only in the drainage of the Bayou du Chien, a stream. It is a federally listed endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
of the United States.
This fish, part of the Etheostoma squamiceps
Etheostoma squamiceps
The common name of Etheostoma squamiceps is the spottail darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
species complex
Species complex
A species complex is a group of closely related species, where the exact demarcation between species is often unclear or cryptic owing to their recent and usually still incomplete reproductive isolation. Ring species, superspecies and cryptic species complex are example of species complex...
, was formally described in 1992. It grows up to about 7.2 centimeters in length. It is characterized by "lollypop
Lollipop
A lollipop, pop, lolly, sucker, or sticky-pop is a type of confectionery consisting mainly of hardened, flavored sucrose with corn syrup mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. They are available in many flavors and shapes.- Types :Lollipops are available in a number of colors and...
-like" white knobs on the second dorsal fin of the male that develop during the breeding season.
This fish is known only from the Bayou du Chien, a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
in Kentucky. The fish can be found in a 35-kilometer stretch of the river. It shelters in areas where the riverbank is undercut and water flows beneath a mat of roots. The substrate is sand and gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
covered in leaf litter. This type of habitat is not continuous on the river, with wide spaces between patches of appropriate habitat.
The fish feeds on insects. During reproduction, eggs are stuck to the undersides of sticks and rocks. Only one spawning area has been observed.
This species is limited to one small river system which has been altered and no longer has much habitat or appropriate spawning areas. Agriculture and the channelization of the river have effected these changes.
External links
- Etheostoma chienense. FishBaseFishBaseFishBase is a comprehensive database of information about fish species . It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web...
.