Re: NANFA-- Odd breeding colors on a rainbow darter
R. W. Wolff (choupiqu_at_wctc.net)
Thu, 12 Oct 2000 16:39:26 -0500
I am not sure if this is a regional thing or what, but when blacksided
darters are in spawning color around here, the males get a light orange (
kind of like a peach or musk melon color) to all the lighter dorsal areas.
The dark areas become larger and blacker, the fins also become mostly black
too. The females keep the straw / gray coloring, but become very plump.
Also, the area I catch them is a forested stream that is shallow, and has
moderate filtered light through the tree canopy, this may also determine the
coloration, as does food sources probably. Hope this is of some help, maybe
your blacksides from your area have different spawning colorations, like
gilt darters do. The gilt darters here ( state threatened) have a awesome
dark orange red body, and the blotches on the side become electric blue
green. I here and have saw that they are not like this through out their
range.
Ray
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