(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
                                Species DARTER, SNAIL
                                Species Id ESIS254004
                                   Date 13 MAR 96



TAXONOMY

NAME - DARTER, SNAIL OTHER COMMON NAMES - DARTER and SNAIL ELEMENT CODE - CATEGORY - Fish PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - CHORDATA, CLASS AND SUBCLASS - OSTEICHTHYES, ORDER AND SUBORDER - PERCIFORMES, FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - PERCIDAE, GENUS AND SUBGENUS - PERCINA, SPECIES AND SSP - TANASI, SCIENTIFIC NAME - PERCINA TANASI AUTHORITY - TAXONOMY REFERENCES - COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY - Snail Darter Percina tanasi Etnier, 1976 KINGDOM: Animal GROUP: Fish FAMILY: Chordata CLASS: Osteichthyes ORDER: Perciformes FAMILY: Percidae The snail darter is a small, bottom-dwelling percid fish rarely exceeding 3.4 inches in length (01). Percid, or perch-like, fish are characterized by an elongate, cylindrical body, ctenoid (rough-edged) scales, and spiny-rayed fins. The dorsal fin is divided into two separate fins: an anterior spinous and posterior soft-rayed fin. The general coloration of the snail darter is brown to brownish-gray with a trace of green above and mostly white below. Four dorsal saddles cross the back, with the most forward being centered under the anterior end of the spinous dorsal fin and the rearmost contacting the base of the caudal (tail) fin. These saddles fade down the sides. A black bar extends vertically beneath the eye which has an orange-yellow iris. The median fins are mostly clear with black patterning and some yellow while the paired fins vary from mostly clear to bright yellow-orange. For a far more detailed description see Etnier (02). Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Taxonomy Species DARTER, SNAIL Species Id ESIS254004 Date 13 MAR 96 To date no disagreement exists concerning Etnier's 1976 description and classification of Percina tanasi (02). Etnier (1976) also includes an updated diagnosis and a key to the members of the subgenus Imostoma (to which the snail darter belongs). Type specimens of Percina tanasi are located at the University of Tennessee, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, Cornell University, the Florida State Museum, the Illinois Natural History Survey, Northeastern Louisiana State University, the University of Alabama Ichthyological Collection, the Museum of Zoology at the University of Michigan, and Oklahoma State University. Additional specimens are located at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency in Nashville and the Tennessee Valley Authority Office of Natural Resources in Norris, TN (02). The best written description of this species is the original (02) which also includes photographs of the fish. Additional photographs may be found in Starnes (03). Deacon, et al. (04), Parker and Dixon (05), Page (06), and Kuehne and Barbour (07), and there are illustrations in Hickman and Fitz (08). Taxonomy - 2
                                  (DRAFT) - Status
                                Species DARTER, SNAIL
                                Species Id ESIS254004
                                   Date 13 MAR 96



STATUS

Coded Status Alabama; Federal Threatened Alabama; State Listed Alabama; Unofficially Listed Georgia; Federal Threatened Georgia; State Recognized Tennessee; State Listed T: Federal Threatened COMMENTS ON STATUS - U.S. STATUSES AND LAWS: The snail darter (Percina tanasi) has been designated a Threatened species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (50 CFR 17.11; P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1540), as amended. The species has this status wherever found including the States of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. This species is protected by the Lacey Act (P.L. 97-79, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.) which makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any wild animal (alive or dead including parts, products, eggs, or offspring): (1) in interstate or foreign commerce if taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of any State law or regulation; or (2) if taken or possessed in violation of any U.S. law, treaty, or regulation or in violation of Indian tribal law. It is also unlawful to possess any wild animal (alive or dead including parts, products, eggs, and offspring) within the U.S. territorial or special maritime jurisdiction (as defined in 18 U.S.C. 7) that is taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any State law or regulation, foreign law, or Indian tribal law. RESPONSIBLE FEDERAL AGENCIES: USFWS -Responsible for the management/recovery, listing, and law enforcement/protection of this species. All Federal agencies have responsibility to ensure that any action authorized, funded, or carried out by that agency is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of Critical Habitat (50 CFR 402), and to utilize their authorities to carry out programs for the conservation of the species. STATE STATUSES AND LAWS: STATE: Alabama Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Status Species DARTER, SNAIL Species Id ESIS254004 Date 13 MAR 96 DESIGNATED STATUS: Nongame Wildlife Species ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY: Div. of Game and Fish STATE STATUTES: Game and Fish Reg. 87-GF-7. UNOFFICIAL LIST: Threatened; Mount, R.H. 1986. Vertebrate Animals of Alabama in Need of Special Attention. Ala. Agri. Expt. Sta., Auburn Univ. 124 pp. STATE: Georgia DESIGNATED STATUS: Recognized Threatened ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY: Department of Natural Resources STATE STATUTES: GA Game and Fish Code, GA Laws 1977, Page 396, GA Code Ann., Sec. 45-101, et seq. STATE: Tennessee DESIGNATED STATUS: Endangered ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY: Wildlife Resources Agency STATE STATUTES: TN Code Ann., Chapter 7, Sec. 11-1701 through 11-1715. Proclamations 75-15, 76-4 and amendments. INTERNATIONAL STATUSES, TREATIES, AND AGREEMENTS: The snail darter is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red Data Book, Vol. 4, 1977. ECONOMIC STATUSES: This species has no cultural or commercial value. However, it has some historic value in that it was the first fish species under the Act to receive national recognition. The species also has aesthetic and scientific value. 75/03/10:40 FR 11618/ - Notice of review 75/06/17:40 FR 25597/ - Proposed rule 75/10/09:40 FR 47506/ - Final rule, listed as Threatened 76/04/01:41 FR 13926/ - Final rule, Critical Habitat 81/01/27:46 FR 14652/ - Five year review 83/06/21:48 FR 33328/ - Notice of review 84/01/21:49 FR 06388/ - Prop. rule - reclass. as Thr./remove CH 84/06/05:49 FR 27510/ - Final rule - reclass. as Thr./remove CH Status - 2
     

HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS

HABITAT - AQUATIC INLAND AQUATIC SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTRY TYPES SAF TYPE STAGE CLOSURE Shortleaf Pine-Oak shrub--seedling Shortleaf Pine-Oak young tree Shortleaf Pine-Oak mature tree Shortleaf Pine-Oak Old Growth shrub--seedling young tree mature tree Old Growth LAND USE - Industrial Mixed Urban or Built-up Land Cropland and Pasture Deciduous Forest Land Mixed Forest Land Streams and Canals Reservoirs Strip Mines, Quarries, and Gravel Pits Transitional Areas NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC 2UB Riverine, lower perennial UB3 Riverine, lower perennial UB2 Riverine, lower perennial UB1 Riverine, lower perennial RB2 Riverine, lower perennial RB1 Lacustrine, limnetic UB4 Lacustrine, limnetic UB3 Lacustrine, limnetic UB2 Lacustrine, limnetic UB1 Lacustrine, limnetic RB2 Lacustrine, limnetic RB1 COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS - The snail darter's macrohabitat is several large streams and rivers in the upper Tennessee River drainage in southeast Tennessee, northwest Georgia, and northeast Alabama. These waters are associated with a diverse assemblage of terrestrial habitats. Originally, oak-pine and oak-hickory type forest systems predominated in most of this area. Today, much of the original forests have been replaced by agricultural land, ranging from pasture to intensive row-cropping, and residential and urban land. Generally, alteration of few of these habitat associations would have any impact on snail darters except those which would directly affect the species' microhabitat discussed below (See Reasons for Status narrative). The limits on most environmental parameters, such as temperature, pH, alkalinity, etc., required or preferred by the snail darter are essentially unknown. What is apparently critical to the species' Habitat Associations - 1 survival, however, are two types of microhabitat (03). Adults prefer clean, gravel-sand shoals for feeding and almost certainly require shoals that are relatively shallow or have a significant current for successful reproduction. Survival of eggs and larval young is dependent upon slackwater habitats such as deep pools or basins downstream from the spawning sites. The existence of a few snail darters in several Tennessee River reservoirs suggests that these microhabitat requirements may be marginally met in those areas of the reservoirs, but certainly the ideal occurrence of such habitat is in relatively large, low-gradient, undisturbed rivers and streams with alternating pools and riffles. Habitat Associations - 2
                                (DRAFT) - Food Habits
                                Species DARTER, SNAIL
                                Species Id ESIS254004
                                   Date 13 MAR 96



FOOD HABITS

TROPHIC LEVEL - CARNIVORE LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART General Arthropods General Fish General Zooplankton General Crustaceans General Molluscs General Worms Food Habits - 1
                         (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
                                Species DARTER, SNAIL
                                Species Id ESIS254004
                                   Date 13 MAR 96



ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS

G = General A = Adult LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae L = Larvae E = Egg RL = Resting Larvae FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS G Aquatic Features: Pool areas Environment Associations - 1
                               (DRAFT) - Life History
                                Species DARTER, SNAIL
                                Species Id ESIS254004
                                   Date 13 MAR 96



LIFE HISTORY

FOOD HABITS: The following is a general systhesis of two studies that have been conducted to determine snail darter feeding habits (03,08) with somewhat different results. By far the most important component of the annual diet of adult snail darters is aquatic gastropods. These are largely represented by Anculosa subglobosa and Physa spp. (snails) as well as lesser numbers of such genera as Lithasia, Pleurocerca, Menetus, and Ferrissia. One genus of clam, Sphaerium, is also eaten in small numbers. All are swallowed whole and range in size up to about 5 mm in diameter. Insects taken vary a great deal seasonally, but are primarily represented by dipteran and trichopteran larvae (chironomids, Simulium, Brachycentrus and Glossosoma predominate, but including blepharicerids, tipulids, Hydropsyche, and Lepidostoma). Ephemeropterans also contribute to a very small portion of the diet. On a seasonal basis, the snail darter's diet is almost entirely comprised of gastropods in fall and winter (80-90% of biomass consumed), but is very diverse in the spring when Brachycentrus etwoahensis (caddisfly) may be the primary food item (40% of biomass) along with other insects and fish eggs (probably mostly cannibalized). The summer diet is only slightly less varied with gastropods again becoming predominant followed by large numbers of dipteran and trichopteran larvae. All juvenile snail darters examined have displayed a diet roughly equivalent to adults with the only difference being size of prey items due to gap size of the young. No larval snail darters have ever been collected, but based on a study of Percina maculata (10) and benthic samples of available prey taken in Starnes' study (03) it seems likely that they feed on microcrustaceans such as copepods and cladocerans, tardigrades, and small oligochaetes until large enough to feed on small insects. HOME RANGE/TERRITORY: Non-territorial (03,08). PERIODICITY: Snail darters are apparently diurnal feeders at all life stages (03) and have seasonal changes in diet (See Food Habits). They also aggregate on the shallowest portions of gravel shoals in the swiftest current during spawning season (February to April) with males doing so shortly before females, then disperse in sometimes deeper waters the rest of the year. Larvae that have drifted downstream following spawning migrate back upstream during the late spring and summer as juveniles. MIGRATION PATTERNS: Adult snail darters seasonally aggregate on the shallowest portions of gravel shoals to spawn in the spring, moving probably not more than a few tens of meters from deeper shoal areas. Following the larval drift stage of early development, juvenile snail darters may migrate upstream as much as several kilometers to the areas where spawning occurred (03). Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History Species DARTER, SNAIL Species Id ESIS254004 Date 13 MAR 96 COVER/SHELTER REQUIREMENTS: Two types of habitat are essential for strong snail darter populations: relatively shallow gravel shoal areas with moderate to swift current and deep slackwater pools in large stream and rivers. Starnes (03) described such habitats in the Little Tennessee River prior to inundation by the Tellico Reservoir. Shoals preferred by Percina tanasi were typically in 0.3 to 0.7 meters of water with currents of 0.25 to 0.7 or more meters per second, while pools averaged 5 to 6 meters in depth with little or no current. Marginal populations may be able to survive in somewhat less ideal habitats as evidenced by the sightings of a few snail darters in Tennessee River reservoirs. REPRODUCTIVE SITE REQUIREMENTS: Starnes (03) concluded that spawning of snail darters is "nearly limited" to the swiftest portions of midchannel gravel shoals in relatively shallow water (less than 0.5 m) while deeper shoals might serve as marginal spawning habitat. Substrate in such areas consisted of smooth gravel 4-10 cm in diameter impacted in sand. Water temperature ranged from 5 to 16 degrees C during the spawning season, but was near 11 degrees C near the peak of spawning in late February. Evidence of apparent delayed spawning during periods of flooding and visually cued aspects of spawning behavior (03) are indicators of the probable necessity of good water clarity for successful spawning activity. REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS: Starnes (03) found that snail darters have a lifespan of one to two years, spawning in both their first and second years if surviving. TVA workers (08) also found a few three year old fish during spawning seasons. Reproduction occurs once a year with the peak spawning period in late February, though activity begins in early February and continues through April. The average fecundity of the snail darter is about 600 eggs (03). Spawning behavior may be characterized as non-territorial (although in the past males may have maintained moving territories under higher population densities) (03), with multiple, promiscuous spawning and no parental care. Spawning is not entirely random, however, in that snail darters tend to aggregate on swift shallow shoals to reproduce. Details of spawning behavior are not known with certainty, never having been observed in their entirety. From what has been observed in Percina tanasi and other Percina, a fairly elaborate courtship is involved with visual female solicitation likely, followed by visual and tactile stimulation of the female by the male (observed), culminating in the male mounting and clasping the female and the pair quivering and spawning in synchrony (03). PARENTAL CARE: None. POPULATION BIOLOGY: The primary factor limiting snail darter population size and numbers is the lack of suitable preferred habitats -- gravel shoal Life History - 2 (DRAFT) - Life History Species DARTER, SNAIL Species Id ESIS254004 Date 13 MAR 96 areas with moderate to swift current where adults feed and reproduce coupled with deep slackwater pools where semiplanktonic larvae develop into juveniles. Survival and mortality rates have been impossible to determine for young of the year snail darters, but Starnes (03) estimated a mortality rate of greater than 85 pct. and found mortality between the first and second years of life to be 75-80%. Few individuals survive to a third year and none older than 3 years have been taken. Thus turnover is nearly 100% every two years. No one has attempted to estimate rate of increase or recovery potential for the species due to lack of information. The overall sex ratio for all collections made prior to and during Starnes' study (03) was 1.1 males to 1 female and since snail darters are relatively random and promiscuous spawners, he concluded an approximate 1.1 ratio seemed likely. Density of populations on gravel shoals in the Little Tennessee River varied seasonally and with depth from about 4 individuals/100 square meters in deeper waters and 8/100 square meters in shallower areas with finer substrate (during a summer census) to possibly as many as 40/100 square meters in spring spawning aggregations(03). SPECIES INTERRELATIONSHIPS: Starnes (03) and TVA (08) noted several large potential predators associated with snail darters, but concluded that none were probably frequently preying upon the darter. Sculpins (Cottus carolinae), on the other hand, appeared to be fairly significant predators of snail darters on deeper shoals with coarser substrates. As mentioned in the Food Habits section, very few prey species comprise the bulk of the diet of Percina tanasi during different portions of the year. These include the snails, Anculosa subglobosa and Physa, and the caddisfly, Brachycentrus etowahensis. OTHER LIFE HISTORY DESCRIPTORS: Since it was not mentioned in any detail above, a brief summary of early development and growth as described by Starnes (03) is important. Following spawning, eggs drift freely for probably more than 15 days before hatching. Larvae are essentially semiplanktonic, likely feeding on microcrustaceans and possibly small benthic microinvertebrates when near the bottom. These two stages are extremely vulnerable and are subject to predation by many species including adult snail darters prior to the transformation of the young into benthic juveniles between 15-30 days after hatching. As juveniles grow in size and strength they begin moving upstream, appearing on shoal areas near where they were spawned begining in June at an age of 3-4 months and 40 mm or less standard length (SL). By spring one year old darters have attained 52-66 mm SL and by the following spring are 67-74 mm SL. Those few surviving to 3 years of age may reach a total length of 85 mm. Life History - 3
                           (DRAFT) - Management Practices
                                Species DARTER, SNAIL
                                Species Id ESIS254004
                                   Date 13 MAR 96



MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE Beneficial Maintaining/Controlling Water Flow Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Road Maintainance Actions Beneficial Maintaining undisturbed/undeveloped areas Beneficial Controlling pollution [thermal, chemical, physical] Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Pesticide Use Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Herbicide Use Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Agricultural Practice Beneficial Restricting Poaching Adverse Harassment/Vandalism/Indiscriminate Killing Existing Harassment/Vandalism/Indiscriminate Killing Adverse Underground Mines Existing Underground Mines Adverse Surface Mines Existing Surface Mines Adverse Rural Residential/Industrial Areas Existing Rural Residential/Industrial Areas Adverse Siltation Existing Siltation Adverse Water Temperature Alteration Existing Water Temperature Alteration Adverse Reservoirs Existing Reservoirs Adverse Migration barriers Existing Migration barriers Adverse Dredging Existing Dredging Adverse Applying pesticides Existing Applying pesticides Adverse Environmental Contamination/Pollution Existing Environmental Contamination/Pollution Adverse Existing COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - The primary reason for the present status of the snail darter is simply habitat destruction. The fish is an inhabitant of relatively silt free gravel shoals in the larger rivers and streams in the upper Tennessee River drainage (01,03,09). This type of microhabitat has now nearly been eliminated largely by impoundments throughout the system in addition to other forms of alteration such as siltation, channelization, dredging, etc. Remaining populations of snail darters are susceptible to all of the above types of habitat destruction (although additional impoundment throughout the species' range is unlikely) in addition to more localized threats to relatively restricted and isolated populations. Biggins (01) summarizes these on a population-by-population basis: channelization, dredging and port facility development in the Paint Rock and Tennessee Rivers, acid spills from train wrecks in the Hiwassee River, pollution and Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices Species DARTER, SNAIL Species Id ESIS254004 Date 13 MAR 96 siltation from mining activities in the Sequatchie and Hiwassee Rivers, industrial and urban waste-water pollution in the Chattanooga area, and siltation and pesticides from agricultural practices in the Paint Rock River. Additionally, due to the species' notoriety, intentional kills are a threat. Possible future threats include all those described above. In addition, land uses potentially adversely affecting snail darter habitats include agricultural, forestry and logging, mining and any construction practices that might increase siltation and turbidity in rivers, especially in the early spring during spawning. Pollution from industry, urban wastes, or in the form of pesticides from agriculture would also adversely affect snail darters. Finally, urban and industrial development of floodplains encourages flood-control and navigation enhancing measures such as channelization and impoundment which destroy snail darter habitat. APPROVED PLAN: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1983. Snail Darter Recovery Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta, GA. 46 pp. Recovery actions for the snail darter include: (1) Utilize existing regulations to protect the species and its habitat. The protection of the five known Tennessee River tributary populations is crucial to recovery, unless the main stem Tennessee River is found to contain populations which can survive and reproduce without tributary rivers or other tributary populations are found. (2) Determine the distribution and status of the species in the main stem of the Tennessee River. (3) Determine present and forseeable threats to the species. Impacts which may need investigation include agricultural practices, herbicide and pesticide use, pollutants, land development, road maintenance, channelization, impoundments, and poaching. (4) Assess the viability of known populations and monitor those populations. Except for enforcement of existing regulations, no recovery work is presently being conducted for this species. Management Practices - 2
                                   (DRAFT) - References
                                  Species DARTER, SNAIL
                                  Species Id ESIS254004
                                      Date 13 MAR 96



     

References

***** REFERENCES FOR ALL NARRATIVES EXCEPT N-OCCURRENCE ***** 01 Biggins, R.G. 1984. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants: proposal to reclassify the snail darter (Percina tanasi) from an endangered species to a threatened species and rescind critical habitat designation. Fed. Reg. 49(35):6388-6389. 02 Etnier, D.A. 1976. Percina (Imostoma) tanasi, a new percid fish from the Little Tennessee River, Tennessee. Proc. Wash. Biol. Soc. 88(44):469-645. 03 Starnes, W.C. 1977. The ecology and life history of the endangered snail darter, Percina (Imostoma) tanasi Etnier. Ph.D. Diss., Univ. Tenn., Knoxville. 143 pp. 04 Deacon, J.E., et al. 1979. Fishes of North America: endangered threatened or of special concern. Fisheries 4(2):29-44. 05 Parker, W. and L. Dixon. 1980. Endangered and threatened wildlife of Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. N.C. Agric. Extn. Serv., Raleigh. 166 pp. 06 Page, L.M. 1983. Handbook of Darters. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Neptune City, NJ. 271 pp. 07 Kuehne, R.A. and R.W. Barbour. 1983. The American darters. Univ. Press of Kent., Lexington. 177 pp. 08 Hickman, G.D. and R.B. Fitz. 1978. A report on the ecology and conservation of the snail darter (Percina tanasi Etnier) 1875-1977. TVA Tech. Note B28. 129 pp. 09 Etnier, D.A. 1984. Personal communication. Zoology Department, Univ. Tenn., Knoxville, TN 37996. 10 Thomas, D.L. 1970. An ecological study of four darters of the genus Percina (Percidae) in the Kaskaskia River, Illinois. Ill. Nat. Hist. Surv. Biol. Note No. 70. ***** REFERENCES FOR N-OCCURRENCE NARRATIVE ONLY ***** 01 Etnier, D.A. 1984. Personal communication. Zoology Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996. 02 Tennessee Valley Authority. 1984. TVA Regional Heritage Project. Computer printout, TVA Office of Natural Resources, Norris, TN. 03 Hickman, G.D. and R.B. Fitz. 1978. A report on the ecology and conservation of the snail darter (Percina tanasi Etnier) 1975 - 1977. TVA Tech. Note B28. 129 pp. 04 Biggins, R.G. 1984. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; proposal to reclassify the snail darter (Percina tanasi) from an endangered species to a threatened species and rescind critical habitat designation. Fed. Reg. 49(35):6388-6392. 05 Starnes, W.C. 1977. The ecology and life history of the endangered snail darter, Percina (Imostoma) tanasi Etnier. PhD. Diss., Univ. Tenn., Knoxville, TN. 143 pp. References - 1