Coosa darter

The Coosa darter (Etheostoma coosae) is a species of darter endemic to the eastern United States.

Coosa darter

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Etheostoma
Species:
E. coosae
Binomial name
Etheostoma coosae
(Fowler, 1945)
Synonyms
  • Poecilichthys coosae Fowler, 1945

Description

The Coosa darter is a small fish ranging in size from 1.6 to 2.6 inches in length. Its appearancer is characterized by a blunt nose, a small mouth, and six rays in the gill membranes. The body is an olive color with dark markings on the top and both sides of the body. The Coosa darter's dorsal fin has a red medial band with some blue on the top edge, and its caudal and anal fins are a mix of light blue and green.

Distribution and habitat

The Coosa darter is only found in the Coosa River system in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. It inhabits rocky pools and riffles in small streams and prefers clear, slow-moving water; it is limited in larger bodies of water.

Feeding habits

The diet of the Coosa darter consists mainly of freshwater crustaceans known as copepods, water fleas, small mayflies, and other members of the fly family. Unlike some members of darter family, the Coosa darter is not an exclusive filter feeder.

Reproduction

The Coosa darter is known to spawn from mid-March to mid-May. It spawns over rocky surfaces and small boulders. Females become sexually mature between the ages of one and three years. During spawning, males and females form reproductive pairs and spawn together over rocky substrates.

Status

The IUCN has listed this species as being of "Least Concern" because it has an extensive range in the Coosa River system, has a large total population size, and numerous subpopulations. In general, the population trend seems stable and no major threats have been identified.[1]

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References
  1. NatureServe (2013). "Etheostoma coosae". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2013: e.T202469A2745135. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202469A2745135.en. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  • O'Neal, P. "Life history of the Etheostoma-coosae Pisces Percidae in Barbaree Creek Alabama U.S.." Tulane Studies in Zoology and Botany. 23.1 (1981): 75-84. Web. 23 Sep. 2013.
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20111002015239/http://www.bio.utk.edu/hulseylab/Fishlist.html
  • Ryon, Michael G. "The life history and ecology of Etheostoma trisella (Pisces: Percidae)." American Midland Naturalist (1986): 73-86.
  • Brogdon, Stephen M., Christopher R. Tabit, and Leos G. Kral. "Population structure of the Tallapoosa darter (Etheostoma tallapoosae)." Southeastern Naturalist 2.4 (2003): 487-498.
  • Bart, Henry L. "Spawning behavior of Etheostoma davisoni Hay." Copeia 1992.2 (1992): 537-539.
  • Storey, Casey Michael. Genetic population structure and life history aspects of the federally threatened Cherokee darter, Etheostoma scotti. Diss. uga, 2003.
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