Help Identifying Darter

I think it is a washed out Etheostoma zonistium (someone will have to check if they match the distribution, I am pretty unfamiliar with that area). Nice find, go out and find more little guys, learn about them and cherish the time you spend with them.

Blake

Edited by blakemarkwell, 19 August 2009 - 12:04 PM.

Barking at people who have an interest in the subject is not a good way to get grassroots support.

Before this gets blown really out of perspective as it could by everyone giving their opinion on ethics vs. forum and organization policy I'd point out that NO ONE was barking at anyone. Uland just gave a simple FYI as he is responsible to being a moderator for the forum. There was also no calling people amateurs, lecturing ad nauseum, or anything derogatory that needed to get everyones undies all wrapped up in a bunch.

I think the description of habitat should help narrow down what type of darter we could be looking at too. Headwwater streams that are occassionally standing pools essentially means just a handful or less species from a few subgenera regardless of your location.

Edited by ashtonmj, 19 August 2009 - 12:23 PM.

It's one thing to urge folks to go out and learn their fish so they can be better informed and better stewards of their local streams. Certainly the best way to learn fish is to get out and catch them. However, it's a completely different thing to suggest to people that they should collect willy-nilly without regard to what they're catching, asking for help with identifications later, in a geographic area that has a fairly high number of imperiled fishes. That's irresponsible and is a disservice to both the person collecting fishes as well as the community here.

Whether or not take of a few fish has an impact on local populations (which, to be fair, likely doesn't), the fact is that "take" of T&E species is defined by law... No ethics or science involved.

Taxonomic ignorance of what you have just collected is no legal defense if you get stopped by a state or federal enforcement agent. This holds true irregardless if you have a GED or a PhD. Try taking this approach with mussels and see how far it gets you... I don't think Uland was out of line here.

A higher resolution still photo would be much more useful than that video...

To stay on topic. Here are the two listing from KDFWR for the area this fish was caught. Now, I realize these aren't complete lists as I've found fish in areas here that aren't in these lists.

Madisonville East

Madisonville West

Hopkins County KY

I just hope our new member is still around after all this bickering. After reviewing the county list, I'm hanging in with the Slough Darter, but a better pic would make it easier.