Etheostoma scotti
Bauer, Etnier, and Burkhead, 1995
Cherokee Darter
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
EndangeredIUCN
HighThreat Impact
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101141
Element CodeAFCQC02XJ0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNEndangered
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderPerciformes
FamilyPercidae
GenusEtheostoma
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
Recent research shows that three genetically distinct groups of Cherokee darters exist in the Etowah River basin, corresponding with the upper, middle and lower portions of the watershed.
Etheostoma scotti is apparently the sister species of E. coosae (Bauer et al. 1995).
Etheostoma scotti is apparently the sister species of E. coosae (Bauer et al. 1995).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2012-01-20
Change Date1997-03-21
Edition Date2012-01-20
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactHigh
Range Extent1000-5000 square km (about 400-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Small range in the Etowah River system in northern Georgia; numerous collection sites but possibly few healthy populations; threatened by habitat loss/degradation resulting from impoundments, siltation, and pollution.
Range Extent Comments
This darter is endemic to the Etowah River system in northern Georgia (Bauer et al. 1995), from Raccoon Creek to Camp Creek and unnamed tributaries of the Etowah River near Dahlonega, Georgia.(Freeman and Wenger 2006). It is primarily restricted to streams draining the Piedmont physiographic province and to a lesser extent the Blue Ridge physiographic province. The largest populations occur in the northern tributaries upstream of Allatoona Reservoir (USFWS 1993). See Bauer et al. (1995) for further details.
Occurrences Comments
This darter is recently known from well over 100 collection sites in several dozen small to moderately large tributary streams (see map in Etowah Aquatic Habitat Conservation Plan (http://www.etowahhcp.org/background/species/scotti.htm).
Threat Impact Comments
Status is due primarily to past and ongoing loss of habitat resulting from impoundments, siltation, and pollution from such sources as waste discharges, agricultural runoff from crop monoculture and poultry farms, poultry processing plants, and silvicultural activities (see USFWS 1993 and 1994 for further details). Some habitat degradation (increased runoff, sedimentation, point and nonpoint sources of pollution) has resulted from increased urbanization in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The species faces imminent threats from a proposed quarry, landfills, off-river water supply impoundments, and major transportation bypasses (Bauer et al. 1995). Threats are numerous and likely to increase (Bauer et al. 1995).
Extant populations are isolated by Allatoona Reservoir and stretches of degraded habitat in tributary streams (USFWS 2000).
Jelks et al. (2008) categorized the lower, middle, and upper Etowah River populations as Endangered, based on (1) present or threatened destruction, modification, or reduction of habitat or range and (2) restricted range.
Extant populations are isolated by Allatoona Reservoir and stretches of degraded habitat in tributary streams (USFWS 2000).
Jelks et al. (2008) categorized the lower, middle, and upper Etowah River populations as Endangered, based on (1) present or threatened destruction, modification, or reduction of habitat or range and (2) restricted range.
Ecology & Habitat
Description
A small cylindrical percid with a relatively blunt snout and a subterminal mouth; body white to pale yellow; adults have on each side usually eight dark blotches, which increase in size when breeding; dorsum has usually eight dark saddles (USFWS 1993). See Bauer et al. (1995).
Diagnostic Characteristics
Differs from E. coosae in having a broad brick-red band rather than a narrow red band in the spinous dorsal fin of nuptial males, in having 5 or 6 branchiostegal rays (typically 6 in E. coosae), and in having higher vertical scale counts (Bauer et al. 1995). Differs from E. brevirostrum in snout shape, lack of a red band in the anal fin, and in having 5 or 6 branchiostegal rays (versus consistently 5 on each side) (Bauer et al. 1995).
Habitat
Habitat includes pools and adjacent riffles of creeks and small rivers (Page and Burr 2011), about 1-15 meters wide, with moderate gradient and predominantly rocky bottoms; usually in shallow water in sections of reduced current, typically in runs above and below riffles and at the ecotones of riffles and backwaters; associated with large gravel, cobble, and small boulder substrates; uncommonly or rarely over bedrock, fine gravel, or sand; most abundant in sections with relatively clear water and substrates mainly clear of silt (intolerant of moderate or heavy silt deposition); intolerant of impoundment (USFWS 1993, Bauer et al. 1995).
Cherokee darters deposit single eggs in small depressions or recesses on the surface of large gravel, small cobble and occasionally woody debris within runs, moderate to slow riffles and the tails of pools (Freeman and Wenger 2006, Storey et al. 2006)).
Cherokee darters deposit single eggs in small depressions or recesses on the surface of large gravel, small cobble and occasionally woody debris within runs, moderate to slow riffles and the tails of pools (Freeman and Wenger 2006, Storey et al. 2006)).
Reproduction
Sawning season extends from mid-March to mid-June (Storey et al. 2006); peak in April (Barton and Powers 2010). Sexual maturity occurs at age 1; maximum age is 2 years (Barton and Powers 2010)..
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | S3 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 - Natural system modifications | Pervasive - restricted | Extreme or 71-100% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 7.2 - Dams & water management/use | Pervasive - restricted | Extreme or 71-100% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 9 - Pollution | Pervasive - restricted | Serious - slight | High (continuing) |
| 9.1 - Domestic & urban waste water | Unknown | Serious - slight | High (continuing) |
| 9.3 - Agricultural & forestry effluents | Pervasive - restricted | Serious - slight | High (continuing) |
Roadless Areas (1)
Georgia (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Lance Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 9,025 |
References (16)
- Barton, S. D., and S. L. Powers. 2010. Life-history aspects of the Cherokee darter, <i>Etheostoma scotti</i> (Actinopterygii: Percidae), an imperiled species in northern Georgia. Southeastern Naturalist 9:687-698.
- Bauer, B. H., D. A. Etnier, and N. M. Burkhead. 1995. <i>Etheostoma</i> (<i>Ulocentra</i>) <i>scotti</i> (Osteichthyes: Percidae), a new darter from the Etowah River system in Georgia. Bulletin of the Alabama Museum of Natural History 17:1-16.
- Freeman, B. J., and S. J. Wenger. 2006. Description and distribution of species covered by the Etowah HCP.
- Freeman, B. J. (Institute of Ecology and Museum of Natural History, University of Georgia). 1997. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Ruth Mathews, TNC.
- Jelks, H. L., S. J. Walsh, N. M. Burkhead, S. Contreras-Balderas, E. Díaz-Pardo, D. A. Hendrickson, J. Lyons, N. E. Mandrak, F. McCormick, J. S. Nelson, S. P. Platania, B. A. Porter, C. B. Renaud, J. Jacobo Schmitter-Soto, E. B. Taylor, and M.L. Warren, Jr. 2008. Conservation status of imperiled North American freshwater and diadromous fishes. Fisheries 33(8):372-407.
- MacBeth, Robyn M. (Georgia Natural Heritage Program). 1997. Review and annotation of fish and mussel watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Ruth Mathews, TNC. September 1997.
- 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. 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.
- Starnes, W. C. 1995. Taxonomic validation for fish species on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Category 2 species list. 28 pp.
- State Natural Heritage Data Centers. 1996a. Aggregated element occurrence data from all U.S. state natural heritage programs, including the Tennessee Valley Authority, Navajo Nation and the District of Columbia. Science Division, The Nature Conservancy.
- Storey, C. M., B. A. Porter, M. C. Freeman, and B. J. Freeman. 2006. Analysis of spawning behavior, habitat, and season of the federally threatened <i>Etheostoma scotti</i>, Cherokee darter (Osteichthyes: Percidae). Southeastern Naturalist 5: 413-424.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1993. Proposed threatened status for the Cherokee darter and proposed endangered status for the Etowah darter. Federal Register 58(199):53696-53702. 18 October 1993.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1994. Determination of threatened status for the Cherokee darter and endangered status for the Etowah darter. Federal Register 59(243):65505-65512.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2000. Mobile River Basin aquatic ecosystem recovery plan. Atlanta, GA. 128 pp.