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amber darter (Percina antesella)
Status: Federally listed endangered
Description:
The amber darter is a very rare fish endemic to the Etowah and Conasauga watersheds (that is, it is only found in these two systems and nowhere else). In the Etowah basin, the amber darter is found only in the Etowah mainstem between Canton and Dawson Forest, as well as the lower reaches of Shoal Creek (Cherokee Co.) and the mouth of Sharp Mountain Creek. Amber darters inhabit shallow riffles with moderate to swiftly flowing water, usually with shifting gravel and patches of riverweed, an aquatic plant. As the name suggests, the amber darter is a beautiful golden-brown or amber color with 4 distinct stripes along its back. Unlike most other darters, the males do not develop bright breeding colors, but differ from the females in having a longer anal fin. The species spawns in late winter to early spring, presumably in riffles and runs. They grow to three inches in length. The amber darter is federally listed as an endangered species.
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Distribution of Percina antesella within the Etowah basin
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Complete known range of percina antesella
For more information on this species, see Description and Distribution of Species Covered by the Etowah Aquatic HCP, November 2006, Byron Freeman and Seth Wenger.
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