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The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission (“ANHC”) announced in a December 20th publication that a survey had identified additional Arkansas Darters.
The survey was undertaken by both ANHC Aquatic Ecologist Dustin Lynch and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
The Arkansas Darter is described as a state critically imperiled species. The survey is stated to have identified 18 darters at the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust’s Wilson Spring Preserve. This is an increase from 14 that had been observed last year.
ANHC states that the Arkansas Darter was not discovered in Arkansas until 1979. The majority of the species is found in southern Kansas and eastern Colorado within the Arkansas River basin. In Arkansas it is stated to be restricted to a handful of springs in the Northwest corner of the state.
The habitat requirements of the Arkansas Darter are stated to include:
. . . small, open-canopy, low-gradient headwater springs and the spring-runs with fine silty substrate and aquatic vegetation such as watercress.
Such habitats are stated to have been historically associated with tall-grass prairie and savanna ecosystems which are described as “scarce” in Arkansas today.
A link to the article can be found here.
