Kingdom Animalia Family Percidae Genus Etheostoma Order Perciformes | Class Actinopterygii Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
Similar Cherokee darter, Etheostoma, Amber darter, Holiday darter, Trispot darter | ||
Etheostoma etowahae, the Etowah darter, is a rare species of fish in the perch family endemic to Georgia in the United States, where it occurs only in the Etowah River and two of its tributaries. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
This fish is brownish or grayish in color with dark blotches on the sides. During the breeding season, the male develops a blue-green color on its breast.
This fish lives in creek and river habitat in areas where the riverbed is rocky with gravel, cobbles, or boulders. It can be found in clear riffles with little silt. It lives only in the Etowah River, and the tributaries Long Swamp and Amicalola Creek.
This species is endangered by the destruction and alteration of its habitat. It is fragmented, and the remnants are changed in ways that are detrimental to the fish. Areas are impounded, and the fish does not tolerate impounded areas such as pools. The water is polluted with silt, surface runoff, and other substances.