A NEW DARTER OF SUBGENUS OLIGOCEPHALUS, GENUS ETHEOSTOMA, FROM SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS AND SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA

Abstract

A new species of darter of subgenus Oligocephalus, genus Etheostoma, is herein described relative to three similar and geographically proximal Oligocephalus – E. asprigene (Forbes), E. collettei Birdsong & Knapp, and E. swaini (Jordan) – largely confined to the Gulf Coastal Plain and the Central Lowlands of the eastern United States. The new species occurs in the Neches, Sabine and Calcasieu river systems of east Texas and western Louisiana. It is most closely related to E. asprigene. It differs from all of the above species primarily in having a longer spinous dorsal fin base and a narrower transpelvic width. Nuptial males of the new species differ in breeding coloration and have significantly shorter snouts and caudal peduncles, and narrower bodies than
nuptial males of E. asprigene and other Oligocephalus compared. The new species is most similar to E. aprigene in physiognomy and body pigmentation.