Bayou darter
Encyclopedia
The bayou darter is a species of fish
in the perch family
. It is endemic to western Mississippi
in the United States
, where it is found only in the Bayou Pierre River and its tributaries
. It is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
The bayou darter lives in fast flowing, shallow areas of its native streams. It can be found in riffle
s and in the water between riffles in areas with firm gravel substrates. Associated fish species include brighteye darter
(Etheostoma lynceum), least madtom
(Noturus hildebrandi), bluntface shiner
(Cyprinella camura), and redfin darter (Etheostoma whipplei).
The adult female is about 34 millimeters long and the adult male is about 37 millimeters.
Spawning occurs in April through May and sometimes into August. The female lays up to 75 eggs, and probably spawns at least twice during the spawning season. The fish lives about 3 years, with the male living slightly longer than the female on average. This species has low genetic diversity
.
The bayou darter eats insects, including caddisflies, blackflies
, midge
s, and mayflies
. It feeds more in the time just before spawning.
The main threat to the species is the alteration of its habitat by human beings. The Bayou Pierre is currently experiencing heavy erosion
, particularly headcutting, in which erosion moves upstream in waves. Channeling, dredging and mining
on the adjacent floodplain
s cause some alteration. These processes cause an increase in sediment
. Petroleum exploration has affected the area. Agriculture
, especially silviculture
affect the area by destroying riparian
habitat, causing erosion and increasing sedimentation
. This process destroys the riffles the fish occupies, and creates new riffles elsewhere, causing the fish population to move. Fertilizers and herbicide
s may enter the water.
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
in the perch family
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...
. It is endemic to western Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where it is found only in the Bayou Pierre River and its 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...
. It is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
The bayou darter lives in fast flowing, shallow areas of its native streams. It can be found in riffle
Riffle
A Riffle is a short, relatively shallow and coarse-bedded length of stream over which the stream flows at higher velocity and higher turbulence than it normally does in comparison to a pool....
s and in the water between riffles in areas with firm gravel substrates. Associated fish species include brighteye darter
Etheostoma lynceum
The common name of Etheostoma lynceum is the brighteye darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
(Etheostoma lynceum), least madtom
Noturus hildebrandi
The common name of Noturus hildebrandi is the least madtom. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
(Noturus hildebrandi), bluntface shiner
Cyprinella camura
The common name of Cyprinella camura is the bluntface shiner. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.-External links:FishBase:...
(Cyprinella camura), and redfin darter (Etheostoma whipplei).
The adult female is about 34 millimeters long and the adult male is about 37 millimeters.
Spawning occurs in April through May and sometimes into August. The female lays up to 75 eggs, and probably spawns at least twice during the spawning season. The fish lives about 3 years, with the male living slightly longer than the female on average. This species has low genetic diversity
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity, the level of biodiversity, refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It is distinguished from genetic variability, which describes the tendency of genetic characteristics to vary....
.
The bayou darter eats insects, including caddisflies, blackflies
Blackfly
Blackfly, black-fly, or black fly may refer to:*Black fly, a fly of the family Simuliidae*Blackfly , a 2001 Canadian comedy series*Aphid or blackfly...
, midge
Midge
A midge is a very small, two-winged flying insect. "Midge" may also refer to:-Real:* Midge Costanza , American politician* Mildred Gillars , aka "Midge", American broadcaster of Nazi propaganda during World War II...
s, and mayflies
Mayfly
Mayflies are insects which belong to the Order Ephemeroptera . They have been placed into an ancient group of insects termed the Palaeoptera, which also contains dragonflies and damselflies...
. It feeds more in the time just before spawning.
The main threat to the species is the alteration of its habitat by human beings. The Bayou Pierre is currently experiencing heavy erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
, particularly headcutting, in which erosion moves upstream in waves. Channeling, dredging and mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
on the adjacent floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
s cause some alteration. These processes cause an increase in sediment
Sediment
Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
. Petroleum exploration has affected the area. Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, especially silviculture
Silviculture
Silviculture is the practice of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet diverse needs and values. The name comes from the Latin silvi- + culture...
affect the area by destroying riparian
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
habitat, causing erosion and increasing sedimentation
Sedimentation
Sedimentation is the tendency for particles in suspension to settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained, and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the forces acting on them: these forces can be due to gravity, centrifugal acceleration...
. This process destroys the riffles the fish occupies, and creates new riffles elsewhere, causing the fish population to move. Fertilizers and herbicide
Herbicide
Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant...
s may enter the water.