Slenderhead darter
(Percina phoxocephala)
General data
It is found in North America in the central Ohio and Mississippi River basins, to northeastern South Dakota and the Lake Winnebago system in Wisconsin, and as far south as the Red River in eastern Oklahoma and northeast Texas, typically in small to medium size rivers.
Males take on a deeper hue during the breeding season. It feeds on insect larvae and other small invertebrates, and spawns between April and June. It is a common fish with a very wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified its conservation status as being of least concern\\\".
Slenderhead darters are typically 6-9 centimeters long, and can reach 10 centimeters at times.
They have a pointed snout and a long narrow body. Their mouths are subterminal with the snout projecting only slightly beyond the mouth. Teeth are present on the jaws but are minute. The dorsal side of the body is light brown with 14-22 dark blotches down the center serving as camouflage to potential predators above the darter. The ventral side is cream colored which helps disguise the darter from potential predators below them. They have a row of 11-16 blotches down their sides that are taller than they are wide and connected by a thin lateral stripe.
The dorsal fins are distinctly separate with the first dorsal fin containing a dark brown band near the base and an orange band near the outer edge. The second dorsal fin and tail have many small spots often forming rows.
The pelvic fins are transparent and are located on the thoracic position and have two spines and 9-10 fin rays.
The caudal fin has a square shape and is slightly forked. On breeding males the orange band on the dorsal fin is more intensely colored and thicker. Males also can have a dark dusky coloration to their body which often hides many of the blotches on their back and sides.
Slenderheads have small scales and a lateral-line count ranging from 60-80.
The female breast is naked except for the presence of one or two cternoid scales, the posterior half of the males breast is scaled with the anterior half being naked.
