The goldline darter (''Percina aurolineata'') is a small species of freshwater

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or h ...

, a darter from the subfamily

Etheostomatinae Etheosomatidae is a species rich subfamily of freshwater ray-finned fish, the members of which are commonly known as the darters. The subfamily is part of the family Percidae which also includes the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. The family i ...

, part of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Percidae The Percidae are a family of ray-finned fish, part of the order Perciformes, which are found in fresh and brackish waters of the Northern Hemisphere. The majority are Nearctic, but there are also Palearctic species. The family contains more ...

, which also contains the

perch Perch is a common name for fish of the genus ''Perca'', freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which three species occur in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Per ...

es, ruffes and pikeperches. It is found in the United States, primarily in the

Cahaba River The Cahaba River is the longest substantially free-flowing river in Alabama and is among the most scenic and biologically diverse rivers in the United States. It is a major tributary of the Alabama River and part of the larger Mobile River basin. ...

in central

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

and the Coosa River in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

and Alabama. It is a small fish seldom exceeding in length. It is typically found in areas with moderate to swift currents and a water depth of over , in the main channels of free-flowing rivers with a rock, cobble or boulder base and aquatic plants. It has been federally listed as a threatened species since April 22, 1992, and the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of nat ...

has classified its conservation status as being " vulnerable".

Description

The fish is between 1.6 and 2.9 inches long with brownish red and amber dorsolateral stripes. Unlike other members of the ''Hadropterus'' subgenus, its back is a pale to dusky color. It has a white belly on which a series of square lateral and dorsal blotches can be seen. These blotches are separated by a pale or gold-colored stripe.

Distribution and habitat

This fish is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the

system in central

and the Coosa River system in

and Alabama. There are two disjunct populations of goldline darters in the Alabama River Basin in addition to the population in the Mobile Basin. One of these groups occurs in the middle Cahaba River system, while the other is found in the

Coosawattee River The Coosawattee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 27, 2011 river located in northwestern Georgia, United States. Description The river is noted as beg ...

system, which is a tributary of the Coosa River. This species prefers to live in areas with moderate to swift current and a water depth of over 2 feet in the main channels of free-flowing rivers. These areas where it is most common have a bottom of bedrock,

cobble Cobble may refer to: * Cobble (geology), a designation of particle size for sediment or clastic rock * Cobblestone, partially rounded rocks used for road paving * Hammerstone, a prehistoric stone tool * Tyringham Cobble, a nature reserve in Tyr ...

, or small boulders and contain patches of water willow or other river weed. As in other ''Hadropterus'' subgenus members, the goldline darter spawns beginning in March and continues spawning through May or June.

Status

The goldline darter is threatened due to water quality degradation on the Cahaba River.

Strip mining Surface mining, including strip mining, open-pit mining and mountaintop removal mining, is a broad category of mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit (the overburden) are removed, in contrast to underground mining, in which ...

activities,

urbanization Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly t ...

, and sewage

pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...

have exterminated populations. The building of reservoirs has also led to the fragmentation and isolation of some populations of goldline darters. Attempts to raise the population of the goldline darter will focus on habitat preservation and water quality improvement. The main decrease in population density is in the Little Cahaba River population. The

has classified its conservation status as being " vulnerable" because of the relatively small population of this fish and the ongoing habitat degradation.

References

* *

External links

FWS Species Account

Outdoor Alabama Species Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q936732 Percina Endemic fauna of Alabama Endemic fauna of Georgia (U.S. state) Fish described in 1967 ESA threatened species