Frecklebelly darter

Percina stictogaster

That's a really beautiful fish, Matt! I guess this came from your trip to Kentucky?

The fish is from Kentucky. What is really interesting is that it is a recently split species, and as far as I can find through searching the web, this is one of the few if not only photos out there. I cannot find another.

what was it split off from?

Bluestripe. P. cymatotaenia.

The fish is from Kentucky. What is really interesting is that it is a recently split species, and as far as I can find through searching the web, this is one of the few if not only photos out there. I cannot find another.

Which is why you put your name on the photo

I see it has been named now, Percina stictogaster. Peterson's Field Guide just calls it Percina species. It says "Similar to bluestripe but has black teardrop. Large male has black bands on first dorsal fin, black bar on chin." I don't see the black teardrop or the black bar on the chin. Are you making this determination because Map 313 shows the bluestripe being only in Missouri and the frecklebelly being only in Kentucky? Not an unreasonable assumption.

Which is why you put your name on the photo

I see it has been named now, Percina stictogaster. Peterson's Field Guide just calls it Percina species. It says "Similar to bluestripe but has black teardrop. Large male has black bands on first dorsal fin, black bar on chin." I don't see the black teardrop or the black bar on the chin. Are you making this determination because Map 313 shows the bluestripe being only in Missouri and the frecklebelly being only in Kentucky? Not an unreasonable assumption.

The black bar is present, it is under the chin very obvious when viewed from below, as for the teardrop, not obvious in this individual, but was in others. I have been second guessing myself a lot on this ID, but I am 99% sure

Awesome fish....And I do think you can add another 1% to your ID

Nice fish, I need to make a collecting trip up that way.

Nice fish, I need to make a collecting trip up that way.

Maybe the Great Lakes Alliance can meet the Catfish Alliance in Kentucky for some collecting next summer. I am also anxious to see you go against Matt in the Grass Carp Toss contest!

Percina stictogaster

Skipjack wants me to tell you all what an awesome native fish photographer he is. Wow, Skippy, that's the best shot of a frecklebelly darter I have ever seen!!! ...Oh, wait, I've never seen one before. Well I guess that explains it! No really, nice photo. Yeah, I mean it. I'm not kidding. It's a beaut. keep up the good work. Wm Roston watch your back. The Skipmeister is nipping at your heels!

Skipjack wants me to tell you all what an awesome native fish photographer he is. Wow, Skippy, that's the best shot of a frecklebelly darter I have ever seen!!! ...Oh, wait, I've never seen one before. Well I guess that explains it! No really, nice photo. Yeah, I mean it. I'm not kidding. It's a beaut. keep up the good work. Wm Roston watch your back. The Skipmeister is nipping at your heels!

Binkley! Its gonna be a fight!

Actually, I did this ID by process of elimination. Those of you who are in the know, please correct me, if I am wrong.

What a beautiful fish Skipjack! Nice photo as well.

fantastic photo

Re frecklebelly darter from KY:

Looks like it has to be Percina "frecklebelly" or Percina macrocephala. Here are some differences to look for:

Percina macrocephala:
* unscaled or partly scaled check, opercle and breast
* belly scutes - these are modified scales that run down the centerline of the belly. They appear to have little spikes on their margins

Percina "frecklebelly":
* fully scaled breast
* no belly scutes

Other possibilities:
Percina maculata and Percina sciera, but I think not.

There are photos of Percina "frecklebelly" in:

* Handbook of Darters by Page, Plate 5C, labled Percina (Odontopholis) species, Clay CO KY, it's a preserved specimen and is not very clear in the photo

* The American Darters by Kuehne & Barbour, Plate 4, labled Percina cymatotaenia (Kentucky R), this is a much better photo of a preserved or recently killed specimen

Your photo is _much_ better Skip

There are photos of Percina "frecklebelly" in:

* Handbook of Darters by Page, Plate 5C, labled Percina (Odontopholis) species, Clay CO KY, it's a preserved specimen and is not very clear in the photo

* The American Darters by Kuehne & Barbour, Plate 4, labled Percina cymatotaenia (Kentucky R), this is a much better photo of a preserved or recently killed specimen

Your photo is _much_ better Skip

There is also a good picture in the Fishes of TN book. It is nearly identical to Matt's fish.

Oh, the photos in Fishes of TN are very helpful. Both P "frecklebelly" and P macrocephala are pictured there. The photo of macrocephala clearly shows the dark "shadow" below the basicaudal spot. Frecklebelly does not have this. Matt's photo also shows the lack of the shadow, so it must be frecklebelly!

I hate to say it, Matt, but the Fishes of TN photo is slightly better than yours because the light background displays the coloration of the fins a little better. But yours is _much_ more natural looking. Such a nice pose. Did you promise him a big fat bloodworm if he was good?

Oh, the photos in Fishes of TN are very helpful. Both P "frecklebelly" and P macrocephala are pictured there. The photo of macrocephala clearly shows the dark "shadow" below the basicaudal spot. Frecklebelly does not have this. Matt's photo also shows the lack of the shadow, so it must be frecklebelly!

I hate to say it, Matt, but the Fishes of TN photo is slightly better than yours because the light background displays the coloration of the fins a little better. But yours is _much_ more natural looking. Such a nice pose. Did you promise him a big fat bloodworm if he was good?

Cool! thanks guys for looking into it for me! My photos have come a long way in the past year, I still have a lot to learn. I had never thought about a white background showing the finnage better, but I am sure it does. Bloodworm, heck he got live blackworms for that pose.

Cool! thanks guys for looking into it for me! My photos have come a long way in the past year, I still have a lot to learn. I had never thought about a white background showing the finnage better, but I am sure it does. Bloodworm, heck he got live blackworms for that pose.

I don't have it in front of me now, but I think the background in the Fishes of TN photos is kind of a light blue-gray. I think I would avoid white because it might make it tricky to get a good exposure with the sharp contrast between the fish and the white background. I suppose a medium shade of gray, or a tint of that, would work well. The problem with fins is that they are usually somewhat transparent so it's hard to get just the right light on and behind them.