Two New Species of Noturus (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) from the Tennessee
River Drainage: Description, Distribution, and Conservation Status
Brooks M. Burr, David J. Eisenhour, and James M. Gradyc
ABSTRACT
Nominotypical Noturus elegans are herein restricted to the Green River
drainage of central Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. Ten specimens and
additional new material from the Duck River originally allocated to N.
elegans are here described as a new species, Noturus fasciatus, restricted
to the Duck River system and two minor tributaries of the lower arm of the
Tennessee River, Tennessee. A second new species, Noturus crypticus, is
described from the only known extant population in Little Chucky Creek,
Greene County, Tennessee. These three taxa are closely related and are
distinguished on the basis of modal differences in anal-fin ray numbers,
body shape, pigmentation, and genotypic arrays. Noturus crypticus is
described from only eight specimens, is clearly uncommon, probably relict,
and in need of federal protection and future propagation efforts. All three
species are primarily riffle/glide dwellers in small- to medium-sized
streams where they may be found in or under gravel, rubble, and slab rock.
The limited geographic distributions of the two new species places them at
greater risk of extinction, warranting comprehensive evaluation of their
life histories, demographic characteristics, recruitment rates, and nesting
requirements.
A full review and photos will appear in the Winter 2006 American Currents.
Chris Scharpf
Baltimore
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