Maryland darter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maryland darter |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| The Maryland Darter | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Etheostoma
|
| Species: |
sellare
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Hadropterus sellaris Radcliffe & Welsh, 1913 |
|
The Maryland darter (Etheostoma sellare) is a small, freshwater fish. It's a type of darter, which belongs to the same family as perches. This fish is one of the rarest freshwater fish in the world. It's hard to find because it lives in only a few places. The last time anyone saw a Maryland darter was in 1988.
This special fish is named after Maryland, the only state where it has ever been found. For a long time, scientists only knew about two Maryland darters. Then, in 1962, they found it again! From 1965 to the 1980s, people thought the fish only lived in one small area of Deer Creek. Scientists believe the Maryland darter became so rare because its home was damaged. More towns and cities meant less clean water for the fish.
Even though the IUCN says the Maryland darter is extinct, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service still lists it as an endangered species. This means they haven't given up hope yet!
Contents
The Maryland Darter's Story
The Maryland darter was first found in 1912. It was discovered in Swan Creek, a smaller stream that flows into the big Susquehanna River in Maryland. This area is near Havre de Grace, Maryland. Two scientists, Lewis Radcliffe and William W. Welsh, found the fish. They wrote about their discovery in a science paper in 1913.
Even though it was first found in Swan Creek, no one ever saw the Maryland darter there again. But in 1962, it was "re-discovered." An adult female fish was found in Gasheys Run, another stream connected to Swan Creek.
The most important discovery happened in 1965. Over 70 Maryland darters were found in Deer Creek! After that, people saw the fish in Deer Creek now and then between 1974 and 1988. They usually found only 1 to 10 fish at a time. The last time a Maryland darter was seen was in 1988. Since then, no one has found one, and many believe it is now extinct. The Maryland darter is the only fish in its special group called Mooreichthys.
What Does the Maryland Darter Look Like?
The Maryland darter is a small fish, growing to be less than three inches long. It is part of the Etheostoma group of darters. Darters are related to fish like the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and walleye (Sander vitreus).
This fish lives at the bottom of streams. It likes places with lots of oxygen in the water and fast currents. It also prefers areas with some plants and a bottom made of small rocks and gravel. Maryland darters also like sloped rocky areas and cracks in rocks. These spots give them good places to hide from other animals that might try to eat them.
The Maryland darter eats small insects. It often looks for tiny snails, caddisfly larvae, mayfly larvae, and stonefly nymphs. Scientists think that Maryland darters lay their eggs in late April. This is when most other darter species reproduce. However, no one has ever seen a Maryland darter reproducing in the wild.
Is the Maryland Darter Extinct?
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service lists the Maryland darter as an endangered species. They say it's hard to find this fish. Even though it hasn't been seen often since 1912, they don't have enough proof to say it's completely gone.
However, other groups, like the IUCN, have listed the Maryland darter as extinct. The state of Maryland also lists the species as "SH." This means the fish used to live in Maryland but is now thought to be gone. This is because it hasn't been seen for more than 20 years.
Efforts to Find and Protect the Maryland Darter
There is a plan called the Maryland Darter Recovery Plan. The Wildlife and Heritage Service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources created this plan. They worked with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The goal of the plan is to try many ways to find the fish. They use special tools like electro-fishing equipment to learn more about this rare species.
The plan also suggests protecting the Deer Creek area where the fish used to live. This includes using better farming and tree-cutting methods. They also want to plant strips of natural plants next to Deer Creek. These plant buffers would help protect the stream from harmful runoff from farms nearby. The roots and leaves of these plants would stop dirt from washing away. They would also help soak up bad chemicals and filter out trash before it gets into the water.
Scientists have also done surveys in Deer Creek and nearby streams. From 2001 to 2006, the Maryland Biological Stream Survey (MBSS) checked six spots in Deer Creek. They also looked at 22 other spots in the larger Deer Creek area. They checked one spot in Gasheys Run, one in Swan Creek, and four more in the larger Swan Creek area. Sadly, all these surveys did not find any Maryland darters. Finding the Maryland darter is still a big challenge.
See also
In Spanish: Etheostoma sellare para niños
