TN00135 BANDED DARTER ETHEOSTOMA ZONALE
Physical description: This is a laterally blotched or, more often, well- barred darter of medium size with the adults usually from 40-55 mm SL. The body form is moderate, and the snout is short and blunt. The frenum is well developed and the branchiostegal membranes are broadly conjoined. The caudal fin is slightly emarginate or truncate and the female genital papilla is moderate in length, conic ortubular. The lateral line is complete, or occationally slightly incomplete with (39)43-56(63) scales. There are (3)5-6(8) scales above the lateral line and (6)7-9(11) scales below the lateral line. There are (15)17-21(22) circumpeduncle scales, (8)11(12) dorsal spines and (9)11-13(14) dorsal rays. There are 2 anal spines, (6)7-8(9) anal rays and (12)13-15(16) pectoral rays. The breast is naked or very slightly scaled posteriorly and the belly is naked to half scaled. The cheek is naked to fully scaled and the opercle and nape is fully scaled. The adult male and female have dark olive body markings with a cream to straw ground. The body bands are light and dark shades of green. The breeding male is light to dark green on the underside of the head. The first dorsal fin is clear or white. They are black to light green submarginally, darkest subdistally with the anterior somtimes tinted turquoise. The medial band is blackened. There are clear windows and reddish colors epibasally becoming dark basally. The second dorsal is rusty basally and the caudal fin has turquoise leading rays. The anal and pelvic fins have a turquoise wash which is sometimes more intense anteriorly and posteriorly in the anal, and basally in the pelvic. In the highest colored males, much of the distinctive color is obliterated by overall darkening *4205*. Reproduction: This species spawns as early as April in Wisconsin *1200*, Olklahoma and Missouri *1187,2208*, thru June or July in Pennsylvania Illinois *2134,2208* and Minnesota *816*. They spawn from mid-March to early June in Arkansas *4205*. The females are still ripe in Kentucky on 20 July *2208*. Most individuals do not mature until they are 2 years old *1187,4205*. This species attaches eggs to strands of filamentous algae and aquatic mosses *1187,4205*. In Oklahoma it spawns in algal clumps growing on large stones in deeper riffles *1200*. It spawns in a slower current over sparser vegetation than the greenside darter *1187*. In Ohio, spawning areas are in the riffles of streams with moderate to high gradients with an abundance of algae and aquatic moss on stones and boulders *1200*. The females deposit their eggs on these plant growths, and after the spawning season move down- stream to overwinter in deeper waters *1200*. Behavior: This species lives on the bottom *1187*. It consumes mainly midge and blackfly larvae *4205*, with feeding peaks at mid-day *2231,2208*. They seem to have sharp vision *2231*. Population parameters: The maximum age is 3 years *2208*, and only a few individuals survive their fourth summer of life *1187*. This species attains 67% of adult size in the first two months of life. No growth occurs from September to June in all year classes *1200*. They are preyed upon by larger fish and by fish eating birds because of its shallow water habits *1200*. All age groups older than one year had significantly more females than males *2203*. The females grow more slowly and do not attain as large a size as the males *1200*. Aquatic/terrestrial associations: The banded darter is found in association with shovelnose sturgeon, mooneye, quillback, highfin carpsucker, shorthead redhorse, golden redhorse, northern bog sucker, common carp, silver chub, speckled chub, bluntnose minnow, emerald shiner, spotfin shiner, river shiner, sand shiner, sauger, walleye, crystal darter, slender head darter, logperch, smallmouth bass, black crappie, freshwater drum, longnose dace, largescale stonerollers, hornyhead chubs, mottled sculpins *1200*, stonecat, Noturus flavus, longnose dace, and Rhinichthys cataractae *2203* PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: SOME MATURE AT ONE YEAR OF AGE BUT MOST ARE NOT MATURE UNTIL 2 YEARS OF AGE *TN5071* AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS: GREENSIDE DARTERS (E. BLENNIOIDES) *TN5056*
| Life History |
References for Life History Codes
816, 1187, 1200, 2134, 2203, 2208, 2231, 4205
Comments on Life History Codes