Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Watercress darter (Etheostoma nuchale), recorded as Endangered
Watercress darter (Etheostoma nuchale). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Watercress darter

Etheostoma nuchale

Watercress darter is endemic to the eastern United States where it is only known from the Black Warrior River drainage basin near Birmingham, Alabama.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Etheostoma nuchale
Taxonomy
Perciformes · Percidae · Etheostoma

The ray-finned fish

This species can reach a length of 5.4 centimetres (2.1 in) TL though most only reach a length of around 3.5 centimetres (1.4 in).

Range and habitat

The species can be found in the watercress zone of springs where the water is slow-moving. It is endemic to the eastern United States where it is only known from the Black Warrior River drainage basin near Birmingham, Alabama.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

In crisis

The species is endangered and is protected in areas such as the Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson County. The IUCN lists it as being "Endangered" due to its small range, small total population size and vulnerability to deterioration in the quality of the water in the springs in that it occurs. The FWS has ordered the dam to be restored and the pond refilled in an effort to save the remaining darters.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is suing the City of Birmingham for destroying endangered species and their wetland habitat.

Watercress darter is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Watercress darter, Wikidata item Q3756681. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Duskytail darter (Etheostoma percnurum), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Duskytail darter

Etheostoma percnurum
Photograph of Vermilion darter (Etheostoma chermocki), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vermilion darter

Etheostoma chermocki
Photograph of Cherokee darter (Etheostoma scotti), recorded as EndangeredEN

Cherokee darter

Etheostoma scotti
Photograph of Bluemask darter (Etheostoma akatulo), recorded as EndangeredEN

Bluemask darter

Etheostoma akatulo

Quick answers

What is Watercress darter?
It is endemic to the eastern United States where it is only known from the Black Warrior River drainage basin near Birmingham, Alabama.
What is the conservation status of Watercress darter?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Etheostoma nuchale. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Watercress darter live?
It is endemic to the eastern United States where it is only known from the Black Warrior River drainage basin near Birmingham, Alabama.
Why is Watercress darter in crisis?
The IUCN lists it as being "Endangered" due to its small range, small total population size and vulnerability to deterioration in the quality of the water in the springs in that it occurs.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Etheostoma nuchale?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Watercress darter a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.