Slenderhead darter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slenderhead darter |
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Etheostoma phoxocephalum Nelson, 1876 |
The slenderhead darter (scientific name: Percina phoxocephala) is a small, colorful freshwater fish. It belongs to the darter group, which is part of the family called Percidae. This family also includes well-known fish like perches.
You can find slenderhead darters in many rivers across central North America. They live in the central Ohio and Mississippi River basins. Their range stretches from northeastern South Dakota and Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin, all the way south to the Red River in eastern Oklahoma and northeast Texas. These fish usually live in small to medium-sized rivers.
Slenderhead darters are quite pretty, often growing to be about 6 to 9 centimeters (2 to 3.5 inches) long. During their breeding season, the males become even more colorful. They mostly eat tiny insect larvae and other small water creatures. These fish lay their eggs between April and June. The good news is that the slenderhead darter is a common fish, and its population is not in danger. Experts say it is a "least concern" species.
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What Does a Slenderhead Darter Look Like?
Slenderhead darters are usually 6 to 9 centimeters (about 2 to 3.5 inches) long. Sometimes, they can grow up to 10 centimeters (about 4 inches). They have a pointy snout and a long, thin body. Their mouth is slightly underneath their head, with the snout sticking out just a little bit. They have tiny teeth on their jaws.
Their back is light brown with 14 to 22 dark spots. These spots help them blend in with the riverbed, hiding them from birds or other predators looking down. Their belly is a creamy white color. This helps them hide from bigger fish swimming below them. Along their sides, they have a row of 11 to 16 dark blotches. These blotches are taller than they are wide and are connected by a thin line.
Slenderhead darters have two separate dorsal fins (fins on their back). The first dorsal fin has a dark brown band near its base and a bright orange band near its outer edge. The second dorsal fin and their tail fin have many small spots, often forming neat rows. Their pelvic fins (fins on their belly) are clear and have two spines and 9 to 10 fin rays. Their caudal fin (tail fin) is mostly square-shaped but slightly forked.
During the breeding season, male slenderhead darters become even more vibrant. The orange band on their first dorsal fin gets much brighter and thicker. Males can also get a dark, dusky color on their bodies. This darker color often hides the spots on their back and sides. These fish have small scales.
Where Do Slenderhead Darters Live?
The slenderhead darter is a medium-sized darter. It is the most widespread of the four darter species in its group, called Swainia.
As mentioned, you can find them in the central Ohio and Mississippi River basins. They live as far north as northeastern South Dakota and the Lake Winnebago system in Wisconsin. Their range extends south to the Red River in eastern Oklahoma and northeast Texas.
Slenderhead darters prefer shallow water areas. They like places with riffles (fast-moving, shallow water) and a moderate current. They usually live over sand and gravel bottoms, where there isn't much mud or silt. These fish are "bottom dwellers," meaning they spend most of their time on the riverbed in the Benthic zone.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Slenderhead darters lay their eggs between late April and early June. During this time, males and females look different, a process called sexual dimorphism. The males' colors become much darker in April and are brightest during spawning (egg-laying). The first dorsal fin of the male turns orange, and the rays in the dorsal fin get yellow outlines. Older and larger males are usually darker and can attract more females.
Male darters are territorial. They guard areas of fast-flowing water that are about 15 to 60 centimeters (6 to 24 inches) deep. Females will lay their eggs in these riffles. They bury their eggs in the sand or gravel. A female can lay anywhere from 50 to 1000 eggs. Larger females lay more eggs. For example, one-year-old females lay about 83 eggs, while two-year-olds can lay around 270 eggs.
After hatching, young darters stay in the spawning area for about 2 to 4 weeks. Slenderhead darters become ready to have their own babies after one year.
How Slenderhead Darters Grow
When slenderhead darters first hatch, they are very tiny, only about 19 millimeters (less than an inch) long. They grow steadily during their first year. By the time they are one year old, they average about 46 millimeters (about 1.8 inches) in length. Their sex doesn't really affect how big they get. As mentioned, they become able to reproduce after one year. After about a month in the shallow spawning areas, the young darters move to deeper water.
What Do Slenderhead Darters Eat?
Slenderhead darters are "lie-in-wait" predators. This means they hide and wait for their food to come close before they quickly grab it. They mainly eat insect larvae, tiny crustaceans, and other small aquatic invertebrates (animals without backbones).
One study in Illinois looked at what was inside the stomachs of several darters. They found that 99 percent of their diet consisted of larvae from midges, blackflies, and caddisflyes. They also ate mayfly naiads (young mayflies).
