Range and Identity
The retained name Nothonotus acuticeps corresponds to the Sharphead Darter also listed as Etheostoma acuticeps. Its recorded range is in the Holston and Nolichucky systems of western Virginia, western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. These tributaries define the range more closely than the full Tennessee basin.
Habitat and Behavior
Adults occupy fast, deep rocky riffles in small to medium rivers. Both depth and current distinguish this habitat from a sheltered shallow margin. A nearby quiet pool should not automatically be described as equivalent just because it belongs to the same river.
Food and Life History
The upper reference is 8.4 centimeters total length, with 5.5 centimeters as a common size. Reproductive accounts describe eggs buried in small gravel and pebbles. An independent maximum mass is not established in the checked material.
Field Note
Record the tributary, riffle depth and bottom material where possible. These details connect an observation to the species’ documented geographic and reproductive setting.
All Lakes With Sharphead Darter
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed Sharphead Darter records in our database, listed alphabetically.
No published lakes are currently linked to this species in our confirmed records.