(Percidae: Etheostoma), with Descriptions of Five New Species

Layman & Mayden Morphological Diversity and Phylogenetics of the Darter subgenus Doration (Percidae: Etheostoma) 35have not examined the material to determine if it representsthe new species. The occurrence of E. pallididorsumin a nearby tributary of Lake Hamilton (Robison, 1974)suggests that the Little Mazarn Creek record may indeedrepresent E. clinton because the overall ranges of these twospecies are highly congruent (Mayden, 1985; Robison andBuchanan, 1988), but this needs to be confirmed.Populations of E. clinton from the upper Caddo and upperOuachita rivers are isolated from each other by severalman-made impoundments and the intervening CoastalPlain portion of the Ouachita River system (includinglower Caddo River), which is occupied by E. stigmaeum.Etheostoma clinton has a small and nearly identical distributionwith that of Noturus taylori, with the exception thatthe latter is also known from the headwaters of the LittleMissouri River system (Robison and Harris, 1978). Severalother fish species endemic to this region also have largelyoverlapping distributions with that of E. clinton (Mayden,1985). A status survey is needed to more clearly define thedistribution of E. clinton, particularly in tributaries of themain rivers and impoundments, and should include theupper Little Missouri River system above Lake Greeson.Etymology.— The name beaded darter refers to thedistinctive midlateral dusky band that runs through theturquoise blue blotches, suggesting a string of beads. Thespecies epithet is a noun in apposition that honors PresidentBill Clinton, the 42 nd President of the United Statesof America (Fig. 19), and his lasting environmental accomplishmentsin creating and expanding national monuments,preserving millions of acres of wilderness areas, hisleadership and commitment during challenging economictimes, and his continued commitment to global humanitarianissues and needs and peace.COMPARISONSMeristics and breeding colors.—Meristic and breedingcolor comparisons are provided in Table 13 and Figure 3.Etheostoma akatulo is highly distinctive, differing from allother species in usually having a complete lateral line, fullyor nearly fully scaled cheeks, and breeding males withbright cobalt or royal blue pigment continuously coveringthe lower face, and soft dorsal and anal fins lacking orangeand blue pigment. Etheostoma jessiae is the only species consistentlyhaving a frenum, although its presence is morevariable in some systems of the middle Tennessee drainage;a frenum is present in 37–67% of specimens of E.meadiae. Etheostoma jessiae has the highest counts of lateral,caudal peduncle, and transverse scales of all species andattains the greatest maximum size. The species differs furtherfrom E. stigmaeum, E. meadiae, E. akatulo, and E. clintonin breeding males having distinct, bright orange spots onthe second dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fin rays, and havingbright orange pigment in the base of the spinous dorsalfin. Etheostoma jessiae differs further from E. stigmaeumin having modally 12–13 dorsal spines (versus 11 in E. stigmaeum),modally 12 dorsal soft rays (vs. 11), modally 9 softanal rays (vs. 8), modally 14–15 pectoral rays (vs. 14), modally7–8 scales below the lateral line (vs. 6–7), modally 5–6scales above the lateral line (vs. 4–5), usually 1–14 unporedlateral-line scales (vs. 8–19), and a more completely andconsistently scaled nape. Breeding males of E. jessiae differfurther from those of E. stigmaeum in lacking blue pigmenton the mid-gular region.In addition to characters described above, Etheostoma jessiaediffers from E. meadiae in having modally 9 anal rays(vs. 8 in E. meadiae), modally 7–8 scales below the lateralline (vs. 6), modally 14–15 pectoral rays (vs. 14), modally15 principal caudal rays (vs. 16–17), usually 1–14 unporedlateral-line scales (vs. 0–7), partly scaled cheeks (vs. usuallynaked), and palatine teeth usually present (vs. present inonly 33% of specimens). The nape is more completely andconsistently scaled in E. jessiae than E. meadiae.Etheostoma jessiae is similar to E. obama, E. gore, and E.jimmycarter in breeding males having orange spots on thesoft dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fin rays, and orange pigmentin the base of the spinous dorsal fin. Etheostoma jessiaediffers from these three species in breeding males havingthe base color of the face and underside of the head gray(versus tangerine orange), blue pigment typically presenton the lips (vs. absent), and orange spots lacking on theanal fin (vs. present or sometimes present). Additionally,E. jessiae has higher counts of scale rows below and abovethe lateral line.Etheostoma jimmycarter differs from E. obama and E. gorein breeding males having a black submedial band in thespinous dorsal fin (vs. blue), soft dorsal and anal fins lackingblue pigment in the base, and the basicaudal blue barmainly developed ventrally, not extending to the dorsalmargin of the caudal fin. Etheostoma obama differs from E.gore in having modally 15 pectoral rays (vs. 14 in E. gore),modally 12 soft dorsal rays (vs. 11), modally 5 scales abovethe lateral line (vs. 4), partly scaled cheeks (vs. usually naked),and palatine teeth present in 29% of specimens (vs.palatine teeth absent). Breeding males of E. obama differfrom those of E. gore in often lacking orange spots on theanal fin. These two species are very similar in morphologyand breeding colors; however, patterns of allozyme variationsuggest that no gene flow is occurring between them.The two species, each represented by two populationsamples, have no alleles in common at the sIdh-A locus(Layman, 1994). In addition, the occurrence of uniquederived alleles in both samples of E. gore (Mpi-Aa and Pk-Bd) and the occurrence of a unique derived allele in theDuck River sample of E. obama (Pnp-Ae) suggest that thespecies are maintaining separate identities and are pursuingtheir own evolutionary tendencies and fates (Wiley,1978).Etheostoma stigmaeum differs from E. meadiae in havingusually 8–19 unpored lateral-line scales (vs. 0–7 in E.meadiae), partly scaled cheeks (vs. cheeks usually naked),