TN00311 LONGHEAD DARTER PERCINA ALVORDIUS MACROCEPHALA
Physical description: This is a large darter with the adults usually from 65-90 mm SL. They have broadly conjoined lateral blotches and a fairly long subconic snout. The body form is moderately elongate and the head is long with a long, somewhat sharp, snout. The frenum is well developed and the branchiostegal membranes are seperate with the caudal fin slightly emarginate. Keratinized ridges are absent or only slightly developed on the anal rays in the male. The female genital papilla is short, broad, flat and grooved ventrally and distally. The lateral line is complete with 70-81(82) scales, (6)7-8(9) scales above the lateral line and (10)11-13(14) scales below the lateral line. There are 24-26(28) circumpeduncle scales, (11)13-15(16) dorsal spines and (11)12-13(14) dorsal rays. There are 3 anal spines, 8-10(11) anal rays and (12)13-14 pectoral rays. The cheek and opercle are usuallynaked and the breast is usually unscaled with a few embedded scales. The nape and belly are scaled posteriorly except unscaled medially on the nape. There are modified midventral scales in the male with noner on the midbreast, 1-3 in the interpelvic area and 9-18 on the belly. The female has a row of less modified scales on the belly. In the nuptial male, the modified scales have long retrorse to antrorse spines, The scales along the anal fin base and ventral caudal peduncle are densely spinulose *4205*. Reproduction: This species does not spawn at one year of life and the probable spawning period is from March-May *2290,2208,4205*. Behavior: The diet of this species includes crayfishes and mayflies *4205*. Origin: This species is native in Virginia *4205,798,2208*. Population parameters: This species lives a maximum of 3-4 years *820,2208,4205*. TN00311PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: MEDIUM TO LARGE DARTER REACHING ABOUT 4 INCHES IN TL, BODY SLENDER WITH LONG AND POINTED SNOUT, BROAD IRREGULAR BLACK LATERAL STRIPE WITH DEPIGMENTED LATERAL LINE THROUGH CENTER, DORSAL SPINES 14-16, DORSAL SOFT RAYS 12-14, LATERAL LINE SCALES 69-80 REPRODUCTION: SPAWNS IN EARLY SPRING AND LIVES A MAXIMUM OF 3-4 YEARS OTHER: LIFE HISTORY NOT WELL KNOWN, APPEARS TO SPEND CONSIDERABLE TIME IN WATER COLUMN
| Life History |
References for Life History Codes
2290, 1444, 798, 820, 2208, 4205
Comments on Life History Codes
Standard length is that length of a given fish from the tip of its snout to, but not including, the caudal fin *820*.