Boulder darter

The boulder darter (Etheostoma wapiti) 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.[3][4] 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".

Boulder darter
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Etheostoma
Species:
E. wapiti
Binomial name
Etheostoma wapiti
Etnier & J. D. Williams, 1989
Synonyms[2]
  • Nothonotus wapiti (Etnier & J. D. Williams, 1989)

Description

The boulder darter grows up to 7.6 cm (3 inches) long and is olive to gray in color. Little is known about its life history. It probably spawns in the spring months of April and May.

Distribution and habitat

The boulder darter occurs only in the Elk River and a few of its larger tributaries. Its range in the Elk River extends from Fayetteville to just above the Wheeler Reservoir and half a mile below the Alabama State Highway 127 bridge. The tributaries in which it is found are the lower parts of Richland Creek, the mouth of Indian Creek, both in south-central Tennessee (Giles and Lincoln counties) and Limestone County, in northern Alabama.[1] Its preferred habitat is fast-flowing streams, at least 2 ft (0.6 m) deep, with a substrate of rock or boulders. It requires good water quality. Its diet is thought to consist primarily of immature aquatic insects.[4]

Status

It was listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act on September 1, 1988.[4] It has been extirpated from most of its natural range as a result of human activities. Releases of cold water from Tims Ford Reservoir likely explain its disappearance from the upper Elk River in Lincoln County, Tennessee. Flooding of lower reaches of Shoal Creek by Wilson Dam and industrial pollution in upper reaches of the stream probably led to the loss of the population formerly present in Shoal Creek.[4] The boulder darter was last observed and collected in Shoal Creek in the 1880s.[5] The IUCN has listed the Bayou darter as "Vulnerable" and considers that further habitat and population monitoring programs should be undertaken to protect the fish and its habitat.[1]

References
  1. NatureServe (2013). "Etheostoma wapiti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T8133A18228695. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T8133A18228695.en.
  2. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). "Etheostoma wapiti" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
  3. USFWS. Etheostoma wapiti Five-year Review. September 2009.
  4. "Boulder Darter, Etheostoma wapiti". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  5. "Reintroduction of Federally Listed Fish under non-essential experimental population status in Shoal Creek, Lawrence County, Tennessee and Lauderdale County, Alabama" (PDF). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
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