The duskytail darter (Etheostoma percnurum) is a 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 endemic to the eastern United States where it is native to the upper Tennessee River drainage in Virginia.Blanton, R. E. and R. E. Jenkins. (2008). Three new darter species of the Etheostoma percnurum species complex (Percidae, subgenus Catonotus) from the Tennessee and Cumberland river drainages. Zootaxa 1963 1-24. It was federally listed as an endangered species of the United States in 1993,USFWS. Determination of Endangered Status for the Duskytail Darter, Palezone Shiner and Pygmy Madtom. Federal Register April 27, 1993. shortly before it was formally described as a new species.
In 2008, examination of the morphology of this species led researchers to divide it into four species, describing the Citico darter (Etheostoma sitikuense), the marbled darter (Etheostoma marmorpinnum), and the tuxedo darter (Etheostoma lemniscatum) as new. Because E. percnurum carries the endangered species status, the three new species may be given that status.
These fish are threatened by the impoundment of waterways, increased silt, logging, coal mining, pollution, and disease.Jones Powers, G. L. and R. L. Mayden. (2003). Threatened fishes of the world: Etheostoma percnurum Jenkins 1993 (Percidae). Environmental Biology of Fishes 67(4) 358.
References
External links USFWS. Etheostoma percnurum Recovery Plan. March 1994. Rakes, P. L., et al. (2008). Results of surveys for dustytail darters, Etheostoma percnurum, in Copper Creek, Scott County, Virginia, 2008: Addendum. Report to Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.