Tippecanoe darter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tippecanoe darter |
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| The Tippecanoe Darter freshwater fish | |
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The Tippecanoe darter (Etheostoma tippecanoe) is a small freshwater fish. It belongs to the darter group, which is part of the family that includes perches. This fish is special because it is only found in the eastern United States.
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About the Tippecanoe Darter
The Tippecanoe darter is one of the smallest darters. It usually grows to about 1.3 inches long. It never gets longer than 2.0 inches.
Male darters have dark bodies and fins. They have scattered spots and vertical stripes. Blue-black bars on their sides are darkest near the tail. Breeding males get a bright orange throat and belly. They also have orange spots near their tail fin and on their fins.
Female darters also have dark vertical bars on their sides. These bars are clearest near the tail. Females have two yellow spots at the base of their tail fin. All their fins are clear with many dark spots. These spots often form rows.
Both male and female darters have very few scales on their bellies. A special sign of this fish is two light spots at the base of its tail fin. These spots look like an hourglass shape. The dark circles around their heads are also easy to spot. The middle part of their pelvic fins is a dark blue-black color.
Where Tippecanoe Darters Live
The Tippecanoe darter lives in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. They are most often found in medium to large streams and rivers. Since 2014, small groups have also been found in the Vermillion River in Illinois.
Adult darters like deeper, fast-moving water. They prefer areas with gravel and small rocks. Young darters live in shallower, faster-moving water. These fish spend most of their time hiding between rocks and under gravel. This makes them hard to find.
They often prefer areas with a plant called American water willow. Other similar plants can show where Tippecanoe darters might live. This fish has spread to new areas. For example, they were found in Alum Creek in Columbus, Ohio, in 2017.
What Tippecanoe Darters Eat
The Tippecanoe darter eats many different kinds of young insects. They eat insects that are common in their habitat. This darter is an ambush hunter. It waits quietly and then quickly darts out. It grabs passing insects from above.
Young darters eat smaller insects than adults. They eat more small insect larvae called chironomids. This might be because these larvae are easier to catch. It could also be because they are more common in shallow water. Adult darters rarely eat insects longer than 6 millimeters.
When there is less food, like in winter, these darters might become pickier. They compete with other darter species for food. If human pollution affects insect numbers, it directly harms the Tippecanoe darter. If less food is available, these darters can quickly disappear. This is because they cannot easily change what they eat.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Tippecanoe darters start breeding in spring or early summer. This happens when the water temperature reaches about 25 degrees Celsius. They are ready to breed when they are one year old.
A strong male will claim an area around large flat stones. He will attract several females to his nesting spot. The females bury themselves horizontally in the gravel. Only their tail fins stick out. The male will not let other males into his area. He will protect his mates strongly.
The females lay their eggs, and the males fertilize them. This happens while the females are still in the gravel. During this time, the male's colors become much brighter. After the eggs are fertilized, the male leaves the female. He then guards the eggs.
The eggs are about 1.4 millimeters wide. They hatch about 211 hours after being laid. Females usually carry about 60 eggs. Some have been seen with up to 120 eggs. Newly hatched darters are about 5.0 to 5.1 millimeters long. Tippecanoe darters might lay eggs multiple times a year.
The Tippecanoe darter needs clean gravel to lay its eggs. This means they are very sensitive to silt and mud in the water. If there is poor control of dirt washing into the stream upstream, it can quickly destroy a breeding group.
Protecting the Tippecanoe Darter
The Tippecanoe darter is currently listed as vulnerable in Kentucky. It is considered imperiled (in danger) in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. This fish is very sensitive to cloudy water and silt.
In areas where the species is threatened, managing the land near streams is important. Bad logging practices, mining, and road building can harm the fish's ability to reproduce. The Clean Water Act is a very important law for this species. Another law about pollution from many different sources is being considered. This could also help the Tippecanoe darter.
Indiana uses a method called the watershed approach. This looks at the whole area where rainwater drains into a stream or river. It helps find all possible sources of pollution in that area.
Recommendations for Protection
To protect the Tippecanoe darter, scientists need to keep watching their populations. This darter is a good indicator species. This means it is one of the first species to disappear after pollution happens.
Because they are picky about where they breed, it is important to check on them. This is especially true below logging or construction sites. Surveys to see if they are present or absent are very important. This is because the darter only lives for 3 to 4 years.
Their small size makes it hard to use electric shocking to find them. Kick seining (using a net) and snorkeling are the best ways to check their numbers. It is also important not to disturb them during their breeding time. This is in early spring when water temperatures are above 25 degrees Celsius. Snorkeling is a gentle way to observe these fish.
