About Etheostoma crossopterum Braasch & Mayden, 1985
Nomenclature and Classification
The fringed darter, scientifically known as Etheostoma crossopterum, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish. It is classified as a darter in the subfamily Etheostomatinae, which belongs to the family Percidae — a group that also includes perches, ruffes, and pikeperches.
Endemic Range
This species is endemic to the eastern United States. It is found in the Cumberland River drainage, the Duck River system, the Shoal Creek system, and the tributaries of Reelfoot Lakes, located in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama.
Habitat
Fringed darters live in small streams, rocky pools, and the riffles adjacent to these pools.
Diet
Their diet consists of insect larvae, insect nymphs, and small crustaceans.
Maximum Size
This species can grow to a maximum length of 10 cm (3.9 in).
