Duskytail Darter
Etheostoma percnurum
Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Overview
The duskytail darter is a 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 where it is native to the upper Tennessee River drainage in Virginia. It was federally listed as an endangered species of the United States in 1993, shortly before it was formally described as a new species.
The Duskytail Darter faces severe threats from coal mining activities that have degraded water quality and altered stream flow patterns throughout its limited range in the Cumberland River system. Agricultural runoff and urban development have introduced sediments and pollutants that compromise the clear, fast-flowing waters this species requires. Dam construction and stream channelization have fragmented populations and eliminated critical spawning habitats.
Habitat
The Duskytail Darter inhabits clear, fast-flowing streams and small rivers with rocky or gravel substrates in the Cumberland River drainage system. It prefers riffle areas with moderate to swift current and requires high water quality with minimal sedimentation.
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in PERCIDAE
Threatened in United States
Frequently asked questions
Why is Duskytail Darter classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Duskytail Darter live?
What are the main threats to Duskytail Darter?
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