Okaloosa darter

Short description: Species of fish

Okaloosa darter

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Delisted (ESA)[2][3][4][5]

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Actinopterygii
Order:  | Perciformes
Family:  | Percidae
Genus:  | Etheostoma
Species:  |

E. okaloosae

Binomial name
Etheostoma okaloosae

(Fowler, 1941)

Synonyms[6]

* Villora okaloosae Fowler, 1941

The Okaloosa darter (Etheostoma okaloosae) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is indigenous to freshwater streams and tributary systems in Okaloosa and Walton Counties in northwest Florida.

## Contents

* 1 Description
* 2 Distribution and habitat
* 3 Status
* 4 References

## Description

The Okaloosa darter is a small slender fish with a maximum length of 5.3 cm (2.1 in) but a more common adult size is 4.3 cm (1.7 in).[6] It is a silvery brownish-green in color with irregular dark mottling and longitudinal lines of tiny dark spots.

## Distribution and habitat

The Okaloosa darter is restricted to six small river systems draining into the Choctawhatchee Bay drainage system in Okaloosa and Walton counties in the panhandle of Florida. Ninety percent of its range is within the Eglin Air Force Base.[1] It is found in shallow clear creeks among vegetation over sandy bottoms. Eggs are deposited on the bed of the creek and are not guarded by an adult fish as happens in some members of this family.[6]

## Status

Because of extensive habitat improvement and efforts by the Jackson Guard at Eglin Air Force Base, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service downlisted the species from endangered to threatened status in 2011.[4] The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delisted the Okaloosa darter in 2023 due to its recovery.[5] The IUCN has classified this species as being "Least concern".[1] It is protected as a listed species under Annex II of the Specially Protected Areas and Wildife (SPAW) Protocol to the Cartagena Convention since 1991.[7]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 NatureServe (2014). "Etheostoma okaloosae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T8123A13387530.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/8123/13387530. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
2. ↑ "Okaloosa darter (Etheostoma okaloosae)". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/914.
3. ↑ 38 FR 14678
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Herrington, Karen; ((U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)) (1 April 2011). "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reclassification of the Okaloosa Darter From Endangered to Threatened and Special Rule". Federal Register 76 (63): 18087-18103. 76 FR 18087
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 ((U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Assessment Team)); ((Florida Ecological Services Field Office)) (28 June 2023). "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Okaloosa Darter From the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife". Federal Register 88 (123): 41835-41854. 88 FR 41835
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). "Etheostoma okaloosae" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
7. ↑ "List of species of marine and coastal wildlife strictly protected under the SPAW Protocol in Annex II". The Regional Activity Centre for the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife for the Wider Caribbean Region. 29 August 2019. pp. 3-6. https://www.car-spaw-rac.org/IMG/pdf/annexes_i_ii_iii_of_spaw_protocol_revised_cop10_honduras_2019.pdf.

Collette, B.B., and R.W. Yerger. 1962. The American Percid Fishes of the Subgenus Villora. Tulane Stud. Zool. 9:213-230.

Jelks, H.L., and F. Jordan. 2010. Okaloosa darter research at Eglin Air Force Base.

Mettee, M.F., and E. Crittenden. 1979. A study of Etheostoma okaloosae (Fowler) and E. edwini (Hubbs and Cannon) in Northwestern Florida, 1975-78. Rep. to U.S. Fish and Wild. Serv., Atlanta, GA.

Ogilvie, V.E. 1980. Endangered Wildlife Project. E-1, Study I-J: Okaloosa darter investigation. Completion report, October 1, 1977-June 3O, 1980. Fla. Fresh Water Fish Comm., Tallahassee.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1981. Recovery Plan for the Okaloosa Darter (Etheostoma okaloosae). Prepared by the Okaloosa Darter Recovery Team for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta Georgia. 24 pp.

Yerger, R.W. 1978. Okaloosa Darter, pp. 2–4. In C.R. Gilbert (ed.). Rare and endangered biota of Florida. Vol. 4, Fishes. Univ. Press. Fla., Gainesville.

Wikidata ☰ Q3756720 entry

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