Bluestripe darter
Species of fish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The bluestripe darter (Percina cymatotaenia) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches.
| Bluestripe darter | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Division: | Teleostei |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Percidae |
| Genus: | Percina |
| Species: | P. cymatotaenia |
| Binomial name | |
| Percina cymatotaenia | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Etheostoma cymatotaenia Gilbert & Meek, 1887 | |
This fish was an endangered species on the IUCN Red List in 1996. In a 2003 reevaluation it was downlisted to vulnerable status when the populations were determined to be mostly stable overall.[3]
Distribution and habitat
Life cycle
The bluestripe darter is believed to spawn in March and early April. During spawning males become aggressive and will undergo a dramatic rapid color change during which usual middorsal and midlateral stripes fade and are replaced by a series of discrete, intensely black bars.[5] Most bluestripe darter are sexually mature in a year. Males and females grow at similar rates with a maximum lifespan of about four years.
