Home/Species/ Frecklebelly Darter

Percina stictogaster

Burr and Page, 1993

Frecklebelly Darter

G4Apparently Secure (G4G5) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →

G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank

Least concernIUCN

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.106055

Element CodeAFCQC04330

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVertebrate Animal

IUCNLeast concern

Endemicendemic to a single nation

KingdomAnimalia

PhylumCraniata

ClassActinopterygii

OrderPerciformes

FamilyPercidae

GenusPercina

Concept Reference

Nelson, J. S., E. J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, and J. D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.

Taxonomic Comments

Has been included in P. cymatotaenia by some authors (Kuehne and Barbour 1983). Most closely related to P. cymatotaenia (Burr and Page 1993).

Conservation Status

Review Date1996-09-25

Change Date1996-09-25

Range Extent Comments

Upper Kentucky and upper Green (including Barren River) river systems, eastern and central Kentucky and north-central Tennessee; primarily in upland streams of the Cumberland Plateau and central portions of the Highland Rim; fairly common in Kentucky River drainage (where occurs from Red River upstream and including the South Fork), uncommon and localized in Green River drainage; in the Green River occurs, primarily upstream of the confluence of the Little Barren and Green rivers; in the Barren River, most common upstream of the confluence of Drakes Creek and the Barren River; in Tennessee, restricted to large tributaries of the Barren River system in Clay, Macon, and Sumner counties; there is an old record from the Nolin River system, where the species no longer occurs; reports of this species (as P. cymatotaenia) from Obion Creek in western Kentucky, creeks near Paducah (Kentucky), and the Big Sandy and Licking River drainages (Kentucky) are based on misidentified specimens of Percina sciera (Burr and Page 1993, Page and Burr 1991). See Burr and Page (1993) for spot map and list of localities.

Occurrences Comments

This species is represented by a large number of subpopulations and locations.

Threat Impact Comments

Vulnerable to decimation through perturbations such as strip mining; stream channelization projects threaten available habitat in Tennessee (Burr and Page 1993).

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Quiet water areas, especially flowing pools, backwater pools, and vegetated riffle margins of clear creeks and small to medium rivers (usually stream orders 3-5). More often swims in midwater than near bottom. May rest on submerged mats of tree roots along bank. In winter, may be found in accumulations of dead leaves.

Reproduction

Spawning evidently peaks from mid-March through mid-April; probably lives a maximum of about 3 years (Burr and Page 1993).

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN4

Province	Rank	Native
Tennessee	S2	Yes
Kentucky	S4	Yes

Roadless Areas (1)

Kentucky (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Wolfpen	Daniel Boone National Forest	2,835

References (8)

Burr, B. M., and L. M. Page. 1993. A new species of Percina (Odontopholis) from Kentucky and Tennessee with comparisons to Percina cymatotaenia (Teleostei: Percidae). Bulletin of the Alabama Museum of Natural History 16:15-28.
Burr, Brooks M. (Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University) and Donovan B. Henry. 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. June 2000.
Kuehne, R. A., and R. W. Barbour. 1983. The American Darters. University Press of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. 177 pp.
Nelson, J. S., E. J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, and J. D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.
Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.
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.
Page, L. M., H. Espinosa-Pérez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, R. L. Mayden, and J. S. Nelson. 2013. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Seventh edition. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 34, Bethesda, Maryland.
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.