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The Striped Fantail Darter

Striped Fantail Darter is retained under its original subspecies name. A historical aquarium study provides direct observations of shelter choice and territorial behavior.

Range and Identity

The name Etheostoma flabellare lineolatum appears in a 1963 study of striped fantail darters. This entry preserves that identity rather than treating every broadly identified Fantail Darter record as evidence for the subspecies. Taxonomic rank and geographic scope remain important when comparing sources.

Habitat and Behavior

In the aquarium study, individuals defended small sheltered positions beneath rocks. Larger fish selected more open cover, while intermediate-sized fish used more enclosed shelters. Established occupants sometimes maintained their shelter against larger newcomers, showing that size was not the only factor in these observations.

Food and Life History

Fish preferred stone over pebbles and pebbles over sand in the experimental setting. These results are not presented as a complete wild habitat or diet study. The sizes mentioned describe tested individuals, not verified subspecies maxima, and no parent-species weight is transferred.

Field Note

Keep experimental and field evidence distinct. Shelter behavior observed in a small aquarium can inform the profile without proving identical territory sizes or relationships in a natural stream.

All Lakes With Striped Fantail Darter

Browse lakes and reservoirs with documented Striped Fantail Darter records, listed alphabetically. Records do not establish current abundance or public access. Check the evidence and managing authority for the water you choose.

Showing 1–2 of 2 lakes · Page 1 of 1

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