Greenside darter

The Greenside darter (Etheostoma blennioides) is a species of fish in the family Percidae. Etheostoma blennioides is a large percid than inhabits swift riffles. Etheostoma blennioides occurs in Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Contents 1 Biology 2 Characteristics 3 Conservation 4 Distribution 5 Etymology 6 Habitat 7 Systematics 8 References

Biology

Etheostoma blennioides typically lives for three to five years, grows to a maximum of 132 mm SL (standard length) and are sexually mature at one to two years of age. Etheostoma blennioides are reproductively active from February to April in the Midwest and Southeastern United States. Spawning occurs over algae or moss-covered rocks in deep, swift riffles that are territorialized by males that vigorously defended against intruders. Females linger in pools below the riffle and move into the males territory when ready to spawn. Eggs are viscous and stick together in small clumps on green alga (Cladophora), moss (Fontinalis), and riverweed (Podostemaceae). Etheostoma blennioides are insectivorous, with analyzed gut contents containing Nematocera larvae, more specifically black fly (Simuliidae) and midge (Chironomidae) larvae. Furthermore, significant numbers of mayfly (Ephemeroptera) and caddisfly (Trichoptera) nymphs were also found.

Characteristics

Etheostoma blennioides have a elongate body with a long and rounded snout. Dorsum greenish-brown with 6-7 dark quadrate saddles and side with 5-8 dark green blotches that are typically U or W-shaped. Nape, cheek, opercle, and belly completely scaled with breast naked. Anal fin has 6-10 rays, usually 8 and pectoral fin rays 13-16 and both are bright green in breeding males; caudal fin yellowish to clear; dorsal fin rays 12-15 with red basal band; breeding males have intensely bluish-green nasal and oral areas and sometimes black on head.^[1]

Conservation

Etheostoma blennioides is currently secure throughout its range, except in Mississippi, where its habitat was altered by the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

Distribution

The Etheostoma blennioides subspecies are believed to have diverged in separate drainage systems and glacial refugia during the Pleistocene Ice Ages^[2], which destroyed older connections and shaped new river systems.^[3]

• Etheostoma blennioides blennioides (Northern Greenside darter): ranges throughout Ohio River basin and north east into the Potomac and upper Genesee Rivers.
• Etheostoma blennioides gustelli (Tuckasegee Greenside darter): occurs in the headwaters of Little Tennessee River drainage, from the Cheoah River upstream and some tributaries of the Pigeon River of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.
• Etheostoma blennioides newmanii (Highlands Greenside darter): occurs in the Cumberland and Tennessee River drainages of Alabama, Kentucky, and Tenneesee; also occurs in the Arkansas, Ouachita, St. Francis, and White Rivers of Arkansas and Missouri.
• Etheostoma blennioides pholidotum (Central Greenside darter): occurs in north flowing rivers of the northern Ozarks, the Wabash basin, the Maumee River drainage, and along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Etymology

• Etheostoma: etheo meaning filter or strain and stoma meaning mouth.
• Etheostoma blennioides blennioides: referring to its resemblance to the Mediterranean blennies that Constantine S. Rafinesque knew in his early years.
• Etheostoma blennioides gutselli: patronymic for James S. Gutsell, aquatic biologist, who collected type.
• Etheostoma blennioides newmanii: patronymic for Francis H. Newman, aquatic biologist, who collected type.
• Etheostoma blennioides pholidotum: meaning scaled, referring to its fully scaled belly.^[4]

Habitat

Etheostoma blennioides inhabits gravel riffles of large creeks to medium rivers and often found in swift waters over large boulders and large rubble.^[5]

Systematics

As previously stated, Miller (1968) concluded that Etheosotma blennioides complex consist of four subspecies: Etheostoma blennioides blennioides (Northern Greenside darter), Etheostoma blennioides gustelli (Tuckasegee Greenside darter), Etheostoma blennioides newmanii (Highland Greenside darter), and Etheostoma blennioides pholidotum (Central Greenside darter).^[6] Unpublished studies by Richard L. Mayden and colleagues indicate that Etheostoma blennioides newmanii from the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers may be a valid species and distinct from other members of the Etheostoma blennioides complex.^[7] Former subspecies, Etheostoma blennioides gustelli (Tuckasegee Greenside darter) has recently been re-elevated to species status, Etheostoma gustelii (Tuckasegee darter) based on lack of hybridization.

Etheostoma blennioides belongs to the subgenus Etheostoma that contains the following species:

• Etheostoma blennius (Blenny darter)
• Etheostoma gutselli (Tuckasegee darter)
• Etheostoma histrio (Harlequin darter)
• Etheostoma inscriptum (Turquoise darter)
• Etheostoma lynceum (Brighteye darter)
• Etheostoma rupestre (Rock darter)
• Etheostoma sellare (Maryland darter)
• Etheostoma swannanoa (Swannanoa darter)
• Etheostoma thalassinum (Seagreen darter)
• Etheostoma zonale (Banded darter)

Etheostoma blennioides is further nested within the greenside darter group that contains the following species:

• Etheostoma blennius (Blenny darter)
• Etheostoma gutselli (Tuckasegee darter)
• Etheostoma inscriptum (Turquoise darter)
• Etheostoma swannanoa (Swannanoa darter)
• Etheostoma thalassinum (Seagreen darter)^[8]

References