Smallscale darter

The smallscale darter, Etheostoma microlepidum, is a benthic species of fish inhabiting deep, swift riffles ^[1] with large boulders or coarse substrate. The moprhology of the smallscale darter is consistent with the subgenus Nothonotus, larger, deep-bodied species with dark background coloration mixed with bright red spots scattered alongiside the body. Nuptial males of this species also have deep green fins with orange margins on the spinous dorsal and caudal fins, with the soft dorsal fins having a dark coloration moving marginally to yellow-orangish center with black margins. This subspecies of boulder darter (Nothonotus) is also found in the Little River and Red River watersheds in Kentucky. In 2011, the status of this fish was upgraded to State Endangered for Kentucky. Recent surveys within the Little River revealed only five localities where this species occurs. Breeding habits of the smallscale darter are typical of the E. maculatum group in that females deposit large masses of eggs on the undersides of rocks to be protected by the males. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.^[2]

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