Muscadine Darter

Percina smithvanizi is distinguished from all other described species of Percina by a combination of the following characteristics: absence of bright colors on body and fins of adults; no orange band in spinous dorsal fin; no broad vertical bands on body extending dorsally across the back joining those of the other side; 7–11 lateral blotches connected to form a continuous dark brown to black lateral stripe with undulating margins; lateral stripe continuous with large, somewhat quadrate basicaudal blotch, which extends onto base of caudal fin rays; a small dark blotch on upper and lower portion of caudal fin base, dorsal blotch typically darker; suborbital bar absent or very poorly developed; lateral line complete, typically no pored scales on base of caudal fin; males with row of modified scales on midline of belly and one or two modified scale between base of pelvic fins; modified breast scale absent; nuptial tubercles absent; anal fin of breeding males not excessively elongate; males without caudal keel as a ventral extension of the caudal peduncle; snout does not extend beyond anterior margin of upper jaw; broad premaxillary frenum present; serrae on margin of preopercleabsent; branchiostegal membranes very narrowly joined to overlapping (Ref. 58738).

Percina smithvanizi is common in the Tallapoosa drainage in the Tallapoosa River proper (width 75–125 m, depth 0.5–1 m) as well as tributaries (width 4–5 m, depth 0.2–1 m and larger). Individuals occur in clear water flowing over sand, gravel, rubble, and bedrock, in pools below riffles as well as riffles with moderate current, occasionally from margins of large rocks in the areas of fast flowing water. Areas of swift current yielded the larger specimens, while the smaller individuals were found in habitats with more moderate flow. Species most frequently captured with P. smithvanizi were Cottus sp. Tallapoosa Sculpin (Neely et al. in press), Etheostoma tallapoosae, Hypentelium etowanum, and P. palmaris. Other species commonly capturedwith P. smithvanizi included Campostoma oligolepis, Phenacobius catostomus, Cyprinella gibbsi, Noturus funebris, and N. leptacanthus. A detailed account of the ecology and biology of P. smithvanizi was reported byWieland & Ramsey (1987).

Percina smithvanizi is a relatively common darter in undisturbed streams above the Fall Line in the Tallapoosa River. However, it has disappeared in disturbed streams and impoundments associated with mainstream dams on the Tallapoosa River. It has also disappeared from most of the headwaters of the Little Tallapoosa River in Georgia. The species was regarded as vulnerable by Freeman et al. (2005).

The muscadine darter (Percina smithvanizi) is a small freshwater 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. It is found in streams above the Fall Line in the Tallapoosa River system in eastern Alabama and western Georgia. It prefers gravel runs and riffles of small to medium-sized rivers. The specific name honors the American ichthyologist William F. Smith-Vaniz for his contributions to ichthyology and for the writing the first book on the Freshwater Fishes of Alabama.