TN00100 SPOTTED DARTER ETHEOSTOMA MACULATUM
Physical description: The lateral line complete or nearly complete, 8 infraorbital pores, narrowly joined branchiostegal membranes; thin dark horizontal lines traverse side of body; males have red spots on side of body; faint suborbital bar; median fins with dark margins are charachteristic of some populations and not others; head narrow, width=0.12 SL average; nape and breast unscaled; opercle and belly scaled; cheek unscaled or with few behind eye; maximum SL=75 mm; lateral scales=51-68 (55-65), 0-10 unpored; scales above lateral line=4-9 (6-8); scales below lateral line=8-12; transverse scales=13-22 (15-20); scales around caudal peduncle=19-28 (21-26); dorsal spines=10-15 (12-13); dorsal rays=10-14 (12-13); pectoral rays=12-15 (13-14); anal spines=2; anal rays=7-10 (8-9); vertebrae=37-41 (38-40) *2208*; pigmentation varies geographically and among subspecies *2668*; body gray-green, dark above and light below; male has blue-green breast and bright red spots and dusky horizontal lines on side of body; female has dark mottling on sides, traces of vertical bars posteriorly, and may have few red spots; dorsal and caudal fins of male red or gray, those of female spotted with brown; other fins blue-gray or clear; sub-and preorbital bars dusky, or absent; postorbital bar typically well developed; breeding male body dark overall with contrasting bright red spots, breast and ventral surface of the head are blue-black *2208*; young are similar to adult female, except general color is light brownish-olive, 4-7 saddlebands, spotting on sides is faint, and fins are spotted or largely transparent *789*; Reproduction: The males and females mature at 2 years of age, at an average SL of 48 mm and 44 mm respectively. Spawning occurs from late May to late June. The eggs average 2 mm in diameter, are yellow and laid in a tightly packed, wedge-shaped mass on the underside of a stone. 140-352 eggs may occur in one nest. Each female apparently spawns several times each spawning season. The nests may contain eggs from several females, with the females averaging 50 mm SL containing an average of 400 eggs. Females 40-45 mm contain approximately 1/2 that number. The nests are within 120 cm of each other *2170*. Behavior: The male guards the nest and is territorial, especially during breeding season *2170,2667*. The usual range is limited, seldom extending beyond a single deep fast riffle. This species moves but slightly to deeper parts of same riffle during winter *2170*. Population parameters: The longevity is 4-5 years. They spawn at 2 years and up to 5 years of age. The males usually outnumber the females (289:163) *2170*. Aquatic/terrestrial associations: They are associated with A. m. nigricans, Nocomis micropogon, Notropis volucellus volucellus, N. rubellus, N. carnutus chrysocephalus, Lampetra aepyptera, Campostoma anomalum anomalum, Noturus flavus, N. eleutherus, Etheostoma variatum, E. camurum, E. zonale, E. caeruleum, E. flabellare, Percina maculata, Cottus carolinae *2170,789*. Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (hellbender) *2170*. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: ARE 5-6 MM LONG AT HATCHING, REACH ABOUT 25 MM SL BY THE FIRST AUTUMN *TN5018* BEHAVIOR: SOME CANNIBALISM OF THE YOUNG HAS BEEN OBSERVED *TN5018* AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS: IS A WELL KNOWN ASSOCIATE OF E. CAMURUM AND E. TIPPECANOE IN SOME AREAS, HAS BEEN CAPTURED WITH E. RUFILINEATUM, E. BELLUM, AND E. ACUTICEPS AND PROBABLY OCCURS WITH E. CHLOROBRANCHIUM AND E. MICROLEPIDUM TOO, OFTEN SHARES ITS HABITAT WITH SEVERAL SPECIES OF PERCINA *TN5018*
| Life History |
References for Life History Codes
2170, 2208, 2667, 789
Comments on Life History Codes