Etheostoma susanae
Encyclopedia
Etheostoma susanae is a rare species of fish in the perch family
known by the common name Cumberland darter. It is endemic to Kentucky
and Tennessee
in the United States, where it occurs in the upper Cumberland River
tributaries
above Cumberland Falls
. It was federally listed as an endangered species
of the United States on August 9, 2011, a ruling which will take effect on September 8, 2011.
This fish measures over 5.5 centimeters in maximum length. It is pale yellow in color with six brown saddle-like markings on the sides. On the male, these markings fade during the breeding season and the fish becomes darker in color.
The Cumberland darter lives in pools and slower, shallower parts of streams, in areas with sand or silt
substrates, and not in areas with rocky or cobbly substrates. Associated fish species include creek chub
(Semotilus atromaculatus), northern hogsucker (Hypentelium nigricans), stripetail darter
(E. kennicotti), and Cumberland arrow darter
(E. sagitta sagitta).
Little is known about the fish's life history
.
This fish is currently known from thirteen streams feeding the Cumberland River. It has been extirpated
from many areas it previously inhabited.
This species has been hatched and reared in captivity, then released into its natural habitat.
Percidae
The Percidae are a family of perciform fish found in fresh and brackish waters of the Northern Hemisphere. The family contains about 200 species in ten genera...
known by the common name Cumberland darter. It is endemic to Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in the United States, where it occurs in the upper Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
above Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls, sometimes called the Little Niagara, the Niagara of the South, or the Great Falls, is a large waterfall on the Cumberland River in southeastern Kentucky...
. It was federally listed as an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
of the United States on August 9, 2011, a ruling which will take effect on September 8, 2011.
This fish measures over 5.5 centimeters in maximum length. It is pale yellow in color with six brown saddle-like markings on the sides. On the male, these markings fade during the breeding season and the fish becomes darker in color.
The Cumberland darter lives in pools and slower, shallower parts of streams, in areas with sand or silt
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
substrates, and not in areas with rocky or cobbly substrates. Associated fish species include creek chub
Semotilus atromaculatus
Semotilus atromaculatus is a small minnow found in the eastern two-thirds of the US and eastern Canada...
(Semotilus atromaculatus), northern hogsucker (Hypentelium nigricans), stripetail darter
Etheostoma kennicotti
The common name of Etheostoma kennicotti is the stripetail darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
(E. kennicotti), and Cumberland arrow darter
Etheostoma sagitta
The common name of Etheostoma sagitta is the arrow darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
(E. sagitta sagitta).
Little is known about the fish's life history
Biological life cycle
A life cycle is a period involving all different generations of a species succeeding each other through means of reproduction, whether through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction...
.
This fish is currently known from thirteen streams feeding the Cumberland River. It has been extirpated
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
from many areas it previously inhabited.
This species has been hatched and reared in captivity, then released into its natural habitat.
External links
- Etheostoma susanae. FishBaseFishBaseFishBase is a comprehensive database of information about fish species . It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web...
.