The redband darter (Etheostoma luteovinctum) 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 state of Tennessee in the eastern United States.[2]

Redband darter
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Etheostoma
Species:
E. luteovinctum
Binomial name
Etheostoma luteovinctum

Geographic distribution edit

The redband darter is found in the Stone's and Collins rivers in the Cumberland River drainage and Duck River in the Tennessee River drainage systems in central Tennessee.[2]

Habitat edit

The redband darter inhabits shallow pools with rocky substrates as well as streams and springs.[2] These springs, which are usually of moderate gradient and have limestone bedrock, rubble, gravel, and silt substrates. Such streams are very productive and usually have growths of aquatic mosses, filamentous algae, and/or watercress. Spawning occurs during March and April. During this time, individuals are common in gravel riffles, which may be the spawning area.[3] This species feeds mainly on midge larvae. [2]

Description edit

The redband darter can reach a length of 6.8 centimetres (2.7 in) TL though most only reach about 5.8 centimetres (2.3 in).[2] The common name refers to the breeding males which develop red bands along their flanks and on the dorsal fin.[4]

Taxonomy edit

The redband darter was first formally described in 1887 by the American ichthyologist Charles Henry Gilbert (1859-1928) and biologist Joseph Swain (1857-1927), with the type locality given as the Stones River near Nashville, Tennessee.[5] It is regarded as a member of the subgenus Oligocephalus.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ NatureServe (2013). "Etheostoma luteovinctum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T8117A13369968. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T8117A13369968.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2014). "Etheostoma luteovinctum" in FishBase. February 2014 version.
  3. ^ Etnier, David A., and Wayne C. Starnes. The Fishes of Tennessee. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1993.
  4. ^ "Redband Darter (Etheostoma luteovinctum)". Tennessee Aquarium. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  5. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Etheostoma luteovinctum". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  6. ^ Kara Million (2014). ANALYSIS OF HOST-PARASITE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DARTERS (ETHEOSTOMA) AND MONOGENOIDEAN GILL PARASITES (AETHYCTERON) IN FLAT CREEK AND MILL CREEK (MSc). University of Alabama, Huntsville.