The greenside darter is a species of fish in the family Percidae. It inhabits swift riffles in the eastern United States and southern Ontario.
Biology
Greenside darters typically live for three to five years, grow to a maximum of 132 mm standard length and sexually mature at one to two years of age. Greenside darters are reproductively active from February to April in the Midwest and Southeastern United States. Spawning occurs over algae- or moss-covered rocksin deep, swift riffles that are guarded by males that vigorously defended against intruders. Females linger in pools below the riffle and move into a male's territory when ready to spawn. Eggs are viscous and stick together in small clumps on green algae, moss, and riverweed. E. blennioides is insectivorous, with analyzed gut contents containing Nematoceralarvae, more specifically black fly and midge larvae. Significant numbers of mayfly and caddisflynymphs were also found.
Characteristics
The greenside darters have an elongated body with a long and rounded snout. The dorsum is greenish-brown, with six or seven dark quadrate saddles and the sides with five to eight dark green, typically U- or W-shaped blotches. The nape, cheeks, opercle, and belly are completely scaled, with the breast naked. The anal fin has six to 10 rays and 13-16 pectoral fin rays, and both are bright green in breeding males; caudal fins are yellowish to clear; dorsal fin rays number 12-15, with red basal bands; breeding males have intensely bluish-green nasal and oral areas and sometimes black on the head.
Conservation
E. blennioides is currently secure throughout its range, except in Mississippi, where its habitat was altered by the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
E. b. pholidotum occurs in north-flowing rivers of the northern Ozarks, the Wabash basin, the Maumee River drainage, and along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
Etymology
Etheostoma: etheo meaning filter or strain and stoma meaning mouth
E. b. blennioides: referring to its resemblance to the Mediterranean blennies Constantine S. Rafinesque knew in his early years
E. b. newmanii: patronymic for Francis H. Newman, aquatic biologist, who collected the type specimen
E. b. pholidotum: meaning scaled, referring to its fully scaled belly.
Habitat
Greenside darters inhabit gravel riffles of large creeks to medium rivers and often are found in swift waters over large boulders and large rubble.
Systematics
As previously stated, Miller concluded the E. blennioides complex consists of the four subspecies above. Unpublished studies by Richard L. Mayden and colleagues indicate E. b. newmanii from the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers may be a valid species and distinct from other members of the complex. The former subspecies, E. b. gustelli has recently been re-elevated to species status, Etheostoma gustelii based on lack of hybridization. Etheostoma blennioidesbelongs to the subgenus Etheostoma that contains these species:
E. blennius
E. gutselli
E. histrio
E. inscriptum
E. lynceum
E. rupestre
E. sellare
E. swannanoa
E. thalassinum
E. zonale
Etheostoma blennioides is further nested within the greenside darter group that contains E. blennius, E. gutselli, E. inscriptum, E. swannanoa, and E. thalassinum.
