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| Distribution of nine darter species in the subgenus Doration, including five new species of darters named after U.S. presidents and vice president (Etheostoma obama, E. gore, E. teddyroosevelt, E. jimmycarter, and E. clinton). |
Etheostoma clinton Mayden & Layman, 2012
Etheostoma gore Layman & Mayden, 2012
Etheostoma jimmycarter Layman & Mayden, 2012
Etheostoma obama Mayden & Layman, 2012
Etheostoma teddyroosevelt Layman & Mayden, 2012
Five new fish species were scientifically described last week, all after former or current U.S leaders who have records of environmental leadership and commitment. Three species are found in Tennessee, which already leads the nation in freshwater fish diversity with 315 species. These new species were formerly considered isolated populations of the wide-ranging Speckled Darter (Etheostoma stigmaeum) but are now recognized as distinct species based on morphology and male breeding colors.
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Etheostoma obama Mayden & Layman, 2012
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These new species are part of a group of darters (subgenus Doration) that are found throughout southeastern river drainages west of the Appalachians. The new species, described by Steve Layman at Geosyntec Consultants in Kennesaw GA and Rick Mayden at Saint Louis University MO, include
Etheostoma obama, the Spangled Darter, found entirely within Tennessee;
Etheostoma gore, the Cumberland Darter and Etheostoma jimmycarter, the Bluegrass Darter, both found in Tennessee and Kentucky;
Etheostoma teddyroosevelt, the Highland Darter from the Ozark Plateau in Missouri, Arkansas, and the corners of Kansas and Oklahoma; and
Etheostoma clinton, the Beaded Darter from the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas.
Layman, S.R. & Mayden, R.L. (2012): Morphological Diversity and Phylogenetics of the Darter Subgenus Doration (Percidae: Etheostoma), with Descriptions of Five New Species. Bulletin of the Alabama Museum of Natural History. 30: 1–83.
