Darter fish are a group of small, slender freshwater fish that belong to the subfamily Etheostominae of the family Percidae. There are about 100 species of darter fish, all of which are native to eastern North America. These fish live near the bottom of clear streams and prey on small aquatic animals such as insects and worms.
Some species of darter fish are among the most brightly colored fishes in North America, with males becoming especially colorful during the spring breeding season.
You are reading: 10 Popular Types Of Darter Fish
In this article, we will explore some of the popular types of darter fish, including the Tennessee darter fish, Johnny darter fish, Fantail darter, Tangerine darter, Ozark bigeye, Yellow cheek, Bluebreast, Greenside, Rainbow, Stippled, Orangethroat, Banded, and Logperch.
10 Popular Types Of Darter Fish
Ozark bigeye
The Ozark bigeye (Ambloplites constellatus) is a species of darter fish that is native to the Ozark region of the United States. It is a small, slender freshwater fish that can grow up to 4 inches in length.
The Ozark bigeye is one of the three species of darter fish found in the Ozarks, the others being the yellow cheek and the bluebreast. The Ozark bigeye is a bottom-dwelling fish that feeds on small aquatic animals such as insects and worms. It is a relatively common species in its native range, but its populations are declining due to habitat loss and degradation.
The Ozark bigeye is an important indicator species for the health of Ozark streams and rivers.
Yellow cheek
The yellow cheek (Etheostoma moorei) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae. It is endemic to the eastern United States where it is only known to occur in the state of Arkansas in the Little Red River.
The yellow cheek is a small and laterally-compressed fish that attains a maximum standard length of about 6.4 cm (2.5 in). It inhabits medium-sized and smaller rivers in rocky riffles with strong current. The yellow cheek darter is a federally listed endangered species of the United States, effective September 8, 2011.
In July 2010, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service proposed the yellow cheek darter for endangered status. The yellow cheek darter was first formally described in 1964 by Edward Cowden Raney and Royal Dallas Suttkus with the type locality given as 2.5 miles southwest of Woodrow on the Devils Fork of the Little Red River in Cleburne County, Arkansas.
The specific name honours the American ichthyologist George A. Moore (1899–1999) of Oklahoma.
Bluebreast
The bluebreast darter (Etheostoma camurum) 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 endemic to the eastern United States from New York and Illinois to Tennessee and North Carolina.
The bluebreast darter is small in size, rarely reaching longer than three inches, and has a blunt snout that is more rounded than other darters. It is a colorful fish, predominantly olive green with a broad, lighter band that runs adjacent to the dark fringe of the second dorsal and anal fins, reaching the base of the caudal fin.
The male bluebreast darter has bright red spots on each side, red fins, and a blue breast, while the female has brown spots on her sides. The bluebreast darter is found in small, localized habitats in riffles and eddies behind boulders that prevent larger pelagic fish from exploiting them.
Although data are largely unknown, predation effects on the bluebreast darter are thought to be relatively low due to its small, localized habitats.
However, typical anthropogenic effects detrimental to their ecology include strip mining, mica shale siltation, impoundments (dams), and agricultural drainage runoff. The bluebreast darter is an important indicator species for the health of streams and rivers in its native range.
Greenside
The greenside darter (Etheostoma blennioides) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae. It is one of the largest darters and can grow up to 4 inches in length.
The greenside darter is native to the eastern United States and southern Ontario, and it inhabits gravel riffles of large creeks to medium rivers and often is found in swift waters over large boulders and large rubble.
The greenside darter has 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.
The greenside darter is an important indicator species for the health of streams and rivers, and its populations are declining due to habitat loss and degradation.
Rainbow
The rainbow darter (Etheostoma caeruleum) is a small species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae. Here are some key facts about the rainbow darter:
– The rainbow darter is native to North America, where it is found in small, fast-moving streams and small to medium-sized rivers.
– It grows to 2 to 3 inches (51 to 76 mm) in length.
– The species is very sensitive to pollution and silt, staying in clean, pollution-free water.
– The rainbow darter is found in many creeks and small to medium-sized rivers throughout North America, particularly throughout the eastern United States, specifically throughout the Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley regions.
– Its distribution extends south to northern parts of Alabama and as far west as Missouri and Arkansas.
– The rainbow darter is classified as insectivorous, feeding on small invertebrates such as insects and crayfish, but it has also been known to feed on some fly larvae.
– The primary predators of the rainbow darter are larger freshwater fish, such as bass and sunfish.
– Rainbow darters spawn yearly between the months of March and June in temperatures of 15 to 18 degrees Celsius.
– The eggs are buried in gravel, and large males defend a territory.
Overall, the rainbow darter is an important species in North American freshwater ecosystems, and its sensitivity to pollution and silt makes it an important indicator species for the health of streams and rivers.
Fantail
The fantail darter (Etheostoma flabellare) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae.
It is widely distributed across streams in North America, from the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River basins to South Carolina and northern Alabama, in small streams. They can be found as far west as northeastern Oklahoma. These darters, like many others, live in smaller streams and are found in areas of the stream with cobbles and flat stones due to their breeding habits.
These fish are especially abundant near large slabs of limestone or shale. Fantail darters are primarily benthic invertivores, so inhabit shallow, high-velocity microhabitats of the streams – riffles.
If the microhabitat is destroyed or all the resources are used up, the fantail darter will simply move to another, where more food can be found.
The fantail darter is characterized by a deep caudal peduncle, a protruding lower jaw, and broadly connected gill covers. Body color is brown. The spinous dorsal fin is low with tips on dorsal spines forming fleshy knobs in adult males.
The body is sand to olive-colored with a dark stripe running along the side. The fantail darter is a small fish, usually about 2 inches long. They are born large, with well-developed heads, jaws, and teeth. When first hatched, the free embryos are benthic and rarely go into the water column.
Fantail darters also have extensive and well-developed vitelline plexuses from the time they are very young, which allows them to feed on bigger prey quickly. This means that they have no need to rely on planktonic food sources.
Similar to other darters, fantail darters have several predators. They are also well-colored for their habitats, and they blend in easily with the surrounding stream bed and rocks.
During the summer months, the water temperatures of streams rise significantly, causing the water to have a lower oxygen level. Fantail darters have a good tolerance for this temperature change and low oxygen levels. Young fantail darters tend to mostly feed on mayflies and midge larvae, while medium-sized fish, more than 15 mm in length, eat the greatest amount of variety.
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The fantail darter is an ideal resident for the riffle tank, and it is a scrappy, territorial little fish that bravely defends its eggs against predators many times its size.
Stippled
The stippled darter (Etheostoma punctulatum) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae. Here are some key facts about the stippled darter fish:
– The stippled darter is found in Missouri and White River drainages in Ozark Uplands of Missouri and Arkansas in the USA.
– An isolated population occurs in the upper Castor River of southeastern Missouri.
– It inhabits rocky pools of headwaters and creeks.
– This species can reach a length of 10.0 cm (3.9 in).
– The stippled darter is classified as a benthic invertivore, feeding on small invertebrates such as insects and crustaceans.
– The primary predators of the stippled darter are larger freshwater fish, such as bass and sunfish.
– The stippled darter is classified as a species of “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
– However, its populations are declining due to habitat loss and degradation.
– The stippled darter is an important species in North American freshwater ecosystems, and its sensitivity to pollution and silt makes it an important indicator species for the health of streams and rivers.
Overall, the stippled darter is a small but important species of freshwater fish that plays a vital role in the health of North American freshwater ecosystems.
Orangethroat
The orangethroat darter (Etheostoma spectabile) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae. Here are some key facts about the orangethroat darter fish:
– The orangethroat darter is endemic to the central and eastern United States, where it is native to parts of the Mississippi River Basin and Lake Erie Basin.
– It is one of the most common darters in the Ozarks.
– The orangethroat darter is moderately stout, with 6–10 indistinct dark brown crossbars on the back.
– The species can reach a length of 3 inches (7.6 cm).
– The orangethroat darter is classified as a benthic invertivore, feeding on small invertebrates such as insects, isopods, and amphipods.
– The primary predators of the orangethroat darter are larger freshwater fish, such as bass and sunfish.
– The orangethroat darter lives in creeks and rivers with a gravel or rock bottom and no silt.
– It reaches maturity at an age of one year and spawns in the spring.
– The orangethroat darter is an important species in North American freshwater ecosystems, and its sensitivity to pollution and silt makes it an important indicator species for the health of streams and rivers.
Overall, the orangethroat darter is a small but important species of freshwater fish that plays a vital role in the health of North American freshwater ecosystems.
Banded
The banded darter (Etheostoma zonale) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae. Here are some key facts about the banded darter fish:
– The banded darter is endemic to the eastern United States, where it is native to parts of the Mississippi River Basin and Lake Michigan, from southwestern New York to Minnesota, and south to northern Georgia and northern Alabama.
– It inhabits rocky riffles of creeks and small to medium rivers.
– The banded darter can reach a length of up to 3 inches (7.6 cm).
– The species is classified as a benthic invertivore, feeding on small invertebrates such as midge larvae, mayfly nymphs, and blackfly larvae.
– The primary predators of the banded darter are larger freshwater fish, such as bass and sunfish.
– The banded darter attains maturity at two years of age, and spawning occurs from April to June.
– The banded darter is an important species in North American freshwater ecosystems, and its sensitivity to pollution and silt makes it an important indicator species for the health of streams and rivers.
Overall, the banded darter is a small but important species of freshwater fish that plays a vital role in the health of North American freshwater ecosystems.
Logperch
The logperch (Percina caprodes) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae. Here are some key facts about the logperch darter fish:
– The logperch is a darter species naturally occurring as far north as the St. Lawrence River in Canada, as far west as the Great Lakes, and south to northern Georgia and northern Alabama.
– The logperch is the largest darter in Missouri.
– The species can reach a length of up to 7.1 inches (18 cm).
– The logperch is classified as a benthic invertivore, feeding on small invertebrates such as midges, small crayfish, and small aquatic worms.
– The primary predators of the logperch are larger freshwater fish, such as bass and sunfish.
– The logperch is found in clear, swift water with rocky or sandy substrate, but it may be found in any temperate water in its geographic distribution.
– Logperch eggs hatch much earlier than typical darter eggs, and the species has not evolved any new adaptations in comparison to other darter species.
– The logperch is an important species in North American freshwater ecosystems, and its sensitivity to pollution and silt makes it an important indicator species for the health of streams and rivers.
Overall, the logperch darter fish is a vital species in North American freshwater ecosystems, and its sensitivity to pollution and silt makes it an important indicator species for the health of streams and rivers.
FAQS
1. What are darter fish?
Darter fish are a group of small, slender freshwater fish that belong to the subfamily Etheostomatinae of the family Percidae. They live near the bottom of clear streams and prey on small aquatic animals such as insects and worms.
2. How many species of darter fish are there?
There are about 100 species of darter fish, all of which are native to eastern North America.
3. What are some popular types of darter fish?
Some popular types of darter fish include the Johnny darter, fantail darter, tangerine darter, rainbow darter, stippled darter, orangethroat darter, banded darter, and logperch.
4. Where are darter fish found?
Darter fish are found in small, fast-moving streams and small to medium-sized rivers throughout North America, particularly throughout the eastern United States.
5. What do darter fish eat?
Darter fish are classified as benthic invertivores, feeding on small invertebrates such as insects, worms, and crustaceans.
6. What are the primary predators of darter fish?
The primary predators of darter fish are larger freshwater fish, such as bass and sunfish.
7. Why are darter fish important?
Darter fish are important species in North American freshwater ecosystems, and their sensitivity to pollution and silt makes them important indicator species for the health of streams and rivers.
8. How can I care for darter fish in an aquarium?
Darter fish are very nervous fish that should have a full aquarium cover to prevent jumping. Start with more common species and build on your experience. Many species of darter fish are available in the aquarium trade.
9. How many types of darter fish are found in Missouri?
Missouri has about 44 different types of darters.
10. What are some interesting facts about darter fish?
Some darter fish are among the most brightly colored fishes in North America, with males becoming especially colorful during the spring breeding season.
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Category: Animals
