About Etheostoma fusiforme (Girard, 1854)
Taxonomy and Naming
Etheostoma fusiforme, commonly known as the swamp darter, is a fish species first described by Girard in 1854.
Size
This species reaches a maximum total length of 5.9 cm (2.3 in), with most adults growing only to around 4 cm (1.6 in).
Body Shape
It has a narrow, laterally compressed body, a rounded head, and a blunt, conical snout that does not extend past the upper lips.
Its lateral line curves slightly upward toward the tail.
Dorsal Coloration
The dorsal (upper) side of the body ranges from green to tan, marked with small dark saddle-shaped patches and dark green and brown mottling.
Flank Markings
There are 10 to 12 square-shaped markings along the flanks.
Underpart Coloration
The underparts range from white to yellow, covered with numerous black and brown speckles.
Head and Caudal Fin Markings
A narrow suborbital bar is present, and three dusky black spots mark the caudal fin.
Fin Markings
Fin rays are marked with small spots; the spiny section of the male's dorsal fin typically has a dark band at its base, plus a second dark submarginal band.
Breeding Male Morphology
During the breeding season, males darken in color, and tubercles develop on the soft rays of the pelvic and anal fins, the spine of the pelvic fin, and often on the second spine of the anal fin.
General Distribution
The swamp darter has a wide distribution across lowlands of the eastern United States.
Coastal Plain Range
It generally occurs below the fall line on the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, ranging from southern Maine to Louisiana's Sabine River and the Red River of the South in southeastern Oklahoma.
Mississippi River Tributary Range
It is also found in Mississippi River tributaries as far north as Kentucky and southeastern Missouri.
Introduced Population
An introduced population of swamp darters is established in North Carolina's French Broad River system.
New York State Distribution
In New York State, the species only occurs in the Peconic River and a small number of nearby ponds on eastern Long Island.
Red River Drainage Range
It extends up the Red River of the South drainage as far as North Texas and southeastern Oklahoma, where it is rare.
Southern Range Extremity
No other darter species is found as far south as Etheostoma fusiforme.
General Habitat
The swamp darter inhabits slow-moving and still waters, such as ditches and oxbow lakes, that are typical of low-lying coastal plains.
Habitat Preference Relative to Sympatric Species
It prefers clearer, more vegetation-rich areas than the sympatric slough darter (Etheostoma gracile).
Still Habitat Preference
Though it can occur in flowing water, it favors still habitats including backwaters, ponds, and areas behind beaver dams.
Water Quality Tolerance
It is most commonly found in dark acidic waters, but can thrive in clear water if sufficient cover is available.
Diet
Swamp darters feed on fly larvae, amphipods, and other small crustaceans and insects.
Predation
Where they co-occur, swamp darters are an important component of the diet of young chain pickerel and young largemouth bass.
Spawning Period
In New Jersey, spawning is thought to occur in May; breeding individuals have been collected in March, April, and May across other parts of the species' range.
Spawning Habitat
Swamp darters are not wary when spawning, and typically breed within the same habitats they occupy for the rest of the year.
Spawning Behavior Initial Phase
The male approaches a female from behind, mounts her, and beats her with his pelvic fins.
Egg Deposition
The female then leads the male into aquatic vegetation, where eggs are deposited one at a time on plant leaves.
Post-Spawning Parental Care and Mating
No parental care for eggs has been observed, and no data exists on how many mates each sex typically has.
Breeding Male Behavior
Males do not typically fight or display territorial behavior during breeding.
Longevity
For most swamp darter populations, the maximum longevity is only one year, with very few individuals surviving to two years of age.
