The Kanawha darter and Kanawha minnow: Fishes of the New River

The Kanawha darter (Etheostoma kanawhae) is a New River drainage native species (and endemic to the New River Basin) and is currently listed as lower risk and near threatened under the IUCN Red List (picture above). It is a warm water species and prefers fast currents of riffles and runs in clear, small to medium rivers and streams.



Another endemic and native species to the New River drainage is the Kanawha minnow (Phenacobius teretulus)(Second photo). It too is a warm water species that prefers fast riffles and runs in clear, small to medium rivers and streams. The Kanawha minor prefers habitats consisting of gravel and rubble rather than those of sand, silt or larger substrates. It tends to occur (in the water column) on or near the river bottom of these faster currents. It is currently listed as vulnerable under the IUCN red list.

Images from arkive.org (Noel Burkhead, USGS and Angela Burns)