Etheostoma osburni

Formerly known as the "finescale saddled darter" (see Robins et al. 1991). Closest relative is the Kanawha darter, E. kanawhae (Burkhead and Jenkins 1991).

Small range in Kanawha River drainage, Virginia and West Virginia; fairly common in some areas, but suitable habitat has declined, and the species' distribution and abundance probably are still declining; threats include hybridization with an introduced darter species, stream siltation, effects of stocked trout, and possibly habitat disturbance by anglers.

Range includes the Kanawha River drainage above Kanawha Falls, West Virginia and Virginia (Page and Burr 2011); New River drainage, in the Ridge and Valley of Virginia and the Appalachian Plateaus of West Virginia (Jenkins and Burkhead 1994). See Jenkins and Burkhead (1994) for corrections of identifications affecting the known ranges of this species and E. kanawhae.

In West Virginia, E. osburni is distributed widely throughout the Greenbrier and Gauley rivers (Stauffer et al. 1995).

In Virginia, E. osburni is generally distributed only in Big Stony Creek, perhaps solely above the gypsum plant at Kimbalton; it is extremely localized in Laurel Fork of the Wolf Creek system; and has a limited range in the New River. It is known also from Reed, Big Walker, Little Stony, and Sinking creeks, and Spruce and Pine runs, but there are no recent records from these streams (Burkhead and Jenkins 1991).

This species is represented by a fairly large number of occurrences (subpopulations). Stauffer et al. (1995) mapped 40+ collection sites in West Virginia. Jenkins and Burkhead (1994) mapped 18 sites in Virginia, representing at least several distinct occurrences, but the species may not be extant in some of those areas.

Threats include stream turbidity and siltation resulting from human activities. Stocking of trout may be detrimental (trout probably eat E. osburni). Also, anglers may limit populations by wading through possible spawning sites (Burkhead and Jenkins 1991). Jenkins and Burkhead (1994) stated that they previously (Burkhead and Jenkins 1991) may have underrated the jeopardy of this species in Virginia by recommending it for only special concern status; in 1994 they rated it as endangered or threatened in Virginia due to "localization or extirpation of most populations."

Switzer et al. (2007) found strong genetic evidence of hybridization between Etheostoma osburni and introduced E. variatum in the New River drainage. Specimens of E. osburni from the Greenbrier River drainage above Anthony Creek did not have evidence of hybridization with E. variatum and appear to be functioning as a separate population from individuals collected from Anthony Creek and sites downstream. However, E. variatum could expend upstream and affect additional E. osburni populations.