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Etheostoma simoterum

(Cope, 1868)

Snubnose Darter

G5Secure Found in 7 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1274400
Element CodeAFCQC02H40
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderPerciformes
FamilyPercidae
GenusEtheostoma
Concept Reference
Near, T. J., E. D. France, B. P. Keck, and R. C. Harrington. 2016. Systematics and taxonomy of the snubnose darter, Etheostoma simoterum (Cope). Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 57(2):127-146.
Taxonomic Comments
Near et al. (2016) synonymized Etheostoma tennesseense with E. simoterum because molecular phylogenies resolved the two species as paraphyletic. The authors also determined that male coloration patterns are not diagnostic for the more restricted definition of Etheostoma simoterum. This treatment has been accepted by the American Fisheries Society (AFS) (Page et al. 2023).

Previously, Powers and Mayden (2007) assessed the taxonomic status of the Etheostoma simoterum species complex and concluded that the complex comprises six species: E. simoterum, E. atripinne, E. tennesseense, E. planasaxatile, E. occidentale, and E. orientale. Based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA data, Harrington and Near (2012) reexamined the phylogenetic relationships of the Etheostoma simoterum species complex and concluded that only three species warrant recognition (E. atripinne, E. planasaxatile, and E. simoterum).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-09-19
Change Date2024-09-19
Edition Date2024-09-19
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L. (2024)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 300
Rank Reasons
This species is endemic to the Tennessee River system in the southeastern United States. It is widespread and abundant throughout the range and there are no major threats known.
Range Extent Comments
This species is endemic to the Tennessee River system in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, USA (Harrington and Near 2011, Near et al. 2016). Using Global Biodiversity Information Facility (2024) records from 2000-2024, range extent is estimated to be 145,815 km².
Occurrences Comments
There are several dozen distinct waterways with this species (GBIF 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats are known in much of the range, but aquatic habitats in the Big Sandy drainage "have been much abused," resulting in a localized distribution of this species in that area (Jenkins and Burkhead 1994).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Habitat includes flowing rocky pools and adjacent riffles of small clear creeks with gravel bottoms or bedrock strewn with rubble, and small to medium rivers, where confined to shallow gravel-bedded portions of riffles (Lee et al. 1980, Page 1983, Page and Burr 2011). This species is rare or absent in murky water or where stream gravel is impacted with silt (Kuehne and Barbour 1983). Eggs are laid on the sides of rocks in rocky or bedrock pools (Page 1983).

Reproduction

Spawns in spring, peaking in April (Lee et al. 1980, Page 1983, Bell et al. 2022). Age range of breeding females is 1-2 years (Bart and Page 1992).
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
KentuckyS4Yes
VirginiaS3Yes
AlabamaS3Yes
North CarolinaS1Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
GeorgiaSNRYes
MississippiS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
No known threats———

—

Roadless Areas (7)
Tennessee (3)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Sampson Mountain AdditionCherokee National Forest3,064
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Virginia (4)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
References (11)
  1. Bart, H. L., Jr., and L. M. Page. 1992. The influence of size and phylogeny on life history variation in North American percids. Pages 553-572 in R.L. Mayden, editor. Systematics, historical ecology, and North American freshwater fishes. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. xxvi + 969 pp.
  2. Bell, T., E. Cantrell, and B. Stallsmith. 2022. A comparison of seasonal reproductive pattern in two sympatric darters of the Simoperca clade, <i>Etheostoma duryi</i> and <i>Etheostoma simoterum</i>. Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings 62: 40-51.
  3. Greenberg, L. A. 1988. Interactive segregation between the stream fishes <i>Etheostoma simoterum</i> and <i>E. rufilineatum</i>. Oikos 51(2): 193-202.
  4. Harrington, R. C., and T. J. Near. 2012. Phylogenetic and coalescent strategies of species delimitation in snubnose darters (Percidae: <i>Etheostoma</i>). Systematic Biology 61(1):63-79.
  5. Kuehne, R. A., and R. W. Barbour. 1983. The American Darters. University Press of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. 177 pp.
  6. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  7. Near, T. J., E. D. France, B. P. Keck, and R. C. Harrington. 2016. Systematics and taxonomy of the snubnose darter, <i>Etheostoma simoterum</i> (Cope). Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 57(2):127-146.
  8. Page, L. M. 1983a. Handbook of Darters. T. F. H. Publications, Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey. 271 pp.
  9. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. xix + 663 pp.
  10. Page, L. M., K. E. Bemis, T. E. Dowling, H.S. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, K. E. Hartel, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, M. A. Neigbors, J. J. Schmitter-Soto, and H. J. Walker, Jr. 2023. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eighth edition. American Fisheries Society (AFS), Special Publication 37, Bethesda, Maryland, 439 pp.
  11. Powers, S. L., and R. L. Mayden. 2007. Systematics, evolution and biogeography of the <i>Etheostoma simoterum</i> species complex (Percidae: subgenus <i>Ulocentra</i>). Bulletin of the Alabama Museum of Natural History No. 25:1-23.