20 replies to this topic

[trygon]

I went looking for Blackside Dace on Saturday, I failed.  But the day wasn't a total bust, I hope you like Arrow Darters. Yes, I'm rather one dimensional and boring, darters again. 

Arrow Darter.  Yes his eyes really do look like that.

 

 

 

 

He became quite comfortable with me; here he is hunting.

 

There was the only adult male in this small pool, however there were a lot of juvies like the one below.

 

There were also a lot of Rainbows present at this location.

 

Male in the foreground, female behind.

This little guy just inhaled a mayfly larva, it is just barely visible on the right side of his mouth.

 

More spawners, two males are chasing a female.  There were Chubs above them picking off the spawn.

 

Emerald Darter

 

Thanks to Casper and Dave N., I couldn't have done it without you,

 

 

[mattknepley]

Darters may be a lot of things, but boring ain't one of 'em. Love those "hunting" shots. Keep on postin'!

[gerald]

Move over grumpy cat ... grumpy darter is here.

[Casper]

Very nice!  According to Fishes of Tennessee the Arrows put on quite a sparing show... and i would think about now is prime time, so...

Emerald Darter... new to me.  Banded?  What is the fuzzy Darter in the background of the 3rd image down?

We will have to study the maps as i saw Blackside Dace regular while in the region.

 

Hiwassee and Conasauga camp / snorkel this weekend!  Any Snorkelers interested... let me know.

[trygon]

Thanks guys.  Not zonale, check out the dorsal fins.  Zonale is green over red, baileyi is red over green, and the banding is different.  There is a big hole in this part of the Cumberland Plateau that zonale doesn't inhabit.  I have a better image of the fuzzy darter that I'll post later.

[Isaac Szabo]

Great photos Bryce! I'd say you did quite well despite not finding your target species.

[Matt DeLaVega]

Definitely an emerald. Actually part of the Ulocentra complex even though it looks somewhat similar to zonale and blennioides. We see them very often in Ky.

[trygon]

Thanks Isaac, this one was a much better subject than the one from the Kentucky convention.  Below is a better image of a "fuzzy darter" from the third photo above.  At first I thought it was a Blackside, but now I'm not too sure what it is.  Does anyone have any ideas about what species it could be?

 

[Michael Wolfe]

Definitely an emerald. Actually part of the Ulocentra complex even though it looks somewhat similar to zonale and blennioides. We see them very often in Ky.

Does that mean it is actually a snub nose type of darter? Looks a little short in the face in the photo.

[trygon]

Michael,

Yes.  The photo above has a skewed perspective which makes his head appear shorter than it actually is.

[Aquastudent]

I am amazed at all the colors in darters. I never would have expected a fish like that to be so colorful.

 

They remind me of one of my all time favorites, the scarlet badis (Dario dario). There's so much color is such little fish.

[Josh Blaylock]

I so love the KY & Cumberland Arrow Darters.  They are such amazing fish, and I'm fortunate to have experience with both.  It's also one of the few darters who's primary food is small crayfish.  For a headwater species, they can certainly get fairly large, 5-6 inches.  I've read that this diet of small crayfish is what allows them to survive in the small pools of water during low flow.  I likely will not be long until they are listed on the T&E list.  

 

Brice, based on the drainage, I'd say the Darter is a juvenile Blackside Darter.

[gerald]

Darter color is biochemically amazing too:  I read somewhere (probably here) that darters are the only vertebrates with blue pigment in the skin.  Other fish and animals that look blue use iridophore cells containing guanine over their melanophore cells to refract the light and make them look blue, but they dont really have blue pigment.  ... Even more amazing than they look !

 

 

I am amazed at all the colors in darters. I never would have expected a fish like that to be so colorful.

They remind me of one of my all time favorites, the scarlet badis (Dario dario). There's so much color is such little fish.

[trygon]

Thanks Josh.

[Matt DeLaVega]

I second Blackside.

 

Michael, yes. it is indeed a snubnose darter.

[Michael Wolfe]

Thanks Matt, I thought thats what that Ulocentra complex was.

[Matt DeLaVega]

Of course all of the photos are awesome as usual Bryce, but I particularly like the most recent blackside photo. With the focus and water clarity, the fish just looks like it is flying.

[NateTessler13]

Hiwassee and Conasauga camp / snorkel this weekend!  Any Snorkelers interested... let me know.

 

I'll see you there!

[trygon]

Thanks Matt, I like that one too.  You guys have fun on the Conasauga and Hiwassee, I'll be diving Puget Sound.

[Chasmodes]

Awesome photos Bryce!  I really enjoyed them and look forward to your next ones.