Identification
The pelvic fins are distinctly curved, and the mouth opening is relatively broad. The dark marking before the eye is separated from the eye’s edge. Scale counts and the number of side blotches help distinguish it from Crystal Darter.
River Habitat
The fish occupies the lower parts of riffles and upper parts of pools over mixed sand, gravel and cobble. It lacks a swim bladder, helping it remain near the bottom. A current-and-substrate description is therefore more useful than treating the whole river as uniform habitat.
History and Size
Historical records place its lineage in several Ohio basin drainages, while the known surviving population is in the Elk River. The 7.7-centimeter maximum is standard length. Historical distribution should not be presented as a map of currently occupied fishing sites.
History Is Not Current Occupancy
A former river record does not prove that a population survives there. Keep historical and contemporary observations clearly dated.
All Lakes With Diamond Darter
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed Diamond Darter records in our database, listed alphabetically.
No published lakes are currently linked to this species in our confirmed records.