The duskytail darter (Etheostoma percnurum) 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.[2] It was federally listed as an endangered species of the United States in 1993,[3] shortly before it was formally described as a new species.

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

In 2008, examination of the morphology of this species led researchers to divide it into four species, describing the Citico darter (Etheostoma sitikuense), the marbled darter (Etheostoma marmorpinnum), and the tuxedo darter (Etheostoma lemniscatum) as new. Because E. percnurum carries the endangered species status, the three new species may be given that status.[2]

These fish are threatened by the impoundment of waterways, increased silt, logging, coal mining, pollution, and disease.[4]

References

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  1. ^ NatureServe (2014). "Etheostoma percnurum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T202513A18235946. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T202513A18235946.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Blanton, R. E. and R. E. Jenkins. (2008). Three new darter species of the Etheostoma percnurum species complex (Percidae, subgenus Catonotus) from the Tennessee and Cumberland river drainages. Zootaxa 1963 1-24.
  3. ^ USFWS. Determination of Endangered Status for the Duskytail Darter, Palezone Shiner and Pygmy Madtom. Federal Register April 27, 1993.
  4. ^ Jones Powers, G. L. and R. L. Mayden. (2003). Threatened fishes of the world: Etheostoma percnurum Jenkins 1993 (Percidae). Environmental Biology of Fishes 67(4) 358.
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