Fishes of the Choctawhatchee River System in Southeastern Alabama and Northcentral Florida

The diversity and distribution of fish species occurring in the Choctawhatchee River drainage in southeastern Alabama and northcentral Florida were surveyed to obtain historical baseline information. Three hundred seventy-four sites were evaluated for species diversity and distribution in the drainage, including compilation of unpublished records from southeastern natural history museums. The greatest diversity at any single site was 37 species. Sixty-eight sites were represented by 15 species or more, and 26 sites were represented by a single species. The most frequently encountered species includes Gambusia holbrooki, Percina nigrofasciata, Esox americanus, Notropis texanus, Lepomis macrochirus, Cyprinella n. sp. cf venusta, Notropis amplamala, and Aphredoderus sayanus. New records for Hybopsis n. sp. cf winchelli and Etheostoma parvipinne were found in the drainage, and range extensions were found for 14 other species. Our study increases the known number of fish species in the Choctawhatchee River drainage to 132 species and two hybrids, including 83 native freshwater, 10 introduced freshwater, 24 estuarine, and 17 marine species

Blueface_Bandfin_specimen_info

Detailed information for Blueface and Bandfin darter samples used in this study. Museum tissue catalog or specimen voucher catalog numbers are followed by individual identifiers and collection locality information. Specimens and/or tissues were cataloged in the Arkansas State University Museum of Zoology (ASUMZ) or the University of Alabama Ichthyological Collection (UAIC)

Microsatellite data GENEPOP format

The microsatellite DNA data file is in GENEPOP format. The file includes genotype scores for eight microsatellite loci for Blueface (cfzon) and Bandfin (zon) darters. Locus names are listed under the title line at the top of the file. POP refers to populations described in the manuscript. The populations are ordered as follows: (Blueface Darter) 1. Little Bear Creek, 2. Turkey Creek, 3. Bear Creek, 4. Hubbard Cr. above falls, 5. Hubbard Cr. below falls; (Bandfin Darter) 6. Bear Creek, 7. Big Sandy River, 8. Birdsong Creek, and 9. Hatchie River. Each row below POP identifiers represents an individual followed by their genotype for the eight loci. Individual identifiers and specimen information can be found in the associated excel file named "Blueface_Bandfin_specimen_info.xlsx". Allele scores for each locus are concatenated into six digits, with the first three numbers representing the size of allele "one" and the second three numbers representing the size of allele "two". Missing data are coded as "000"

Data from: The influence of life-history strategy on genetic differentiation and lineage divergence in darters (Percidae: Etheostomatinae)

Recent studies determined that darters with specialized breeding strategies can exhibit deep lineage divergence over fine geographic scales without apparent physical barriers to gene flow. However, the extent to which intrinsic characteristics interact with extrinsic factors to influence population divergence and lineage diversification in darters is not well understood. This study employed comparative phylogeographic and population genetic methods to investigate the influence of life-history on gene flow, dispersal ability, and lineage divergence in two sympatric sister darters with differing breeding strategies. Our results revealed highly disparate phylogeographic histories, patterns of genetic structure, and dispersal abilities between the two species suggesting that life-history may contribute to lineage diversification in darters, especially by limiting dispersal among large river courses. Both species also showed striking differences in demographic history, indicating that extrinsic factors differentially affected each species during the Pleistocene. Collectively, our results indicate that intrinsic and extrinsic factors have influenced levels of gene flow among populations within both species examined. However, we suggest that life-history strategy may play a more important role in lineage diversification in darters than previously appreciated, a finding that has potentially important implications for understanding diversification of the rich North American freshwater fish fauna

Complete mitochondrial genome for the Mobile River Basin endemic Coal Darter, Percina brevicauda (Perciformes, Percidae)

The Coal Darter (Percina brevicauda) is endemic to just three watersheds within the upper Mobile River basin in Alabama. Coal Darters are imperiled and are recognized as a species of conservation priority by the Alabama Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. We have sequenced the first complete mitochondrial genome of the Coal Darter. This genomic data is currently being used to facilitate environmental DNA (eDNA) studies using Loop-mediated isothermal Amplification (LAMP) primers so that species presence and absence data can be collected within the range of the Coal Darter

Etheostoma boschungi GENEPOP format

The microsatellite DNA data file is in GENEPOP format. The file includes genotype scores for seven darter specific microsatellite loci. Locus names are listed under the title line at the top of the file. POP refers to populations described in the manuscript. The six populations are ordered as follows (CB, DD, CH/SH, NF/SF, SW, and FL). Each row below POP identifiers represents an individual followed by their genotype for the seven loci. Allele scores for each locus are concatenated into six digits, with the first three numbers representing the size of allele "one" and the second three numbers representing the size of allele "two". Missing data are coded as "000"

New Upstream Records for Fishes Following Dam Removal in the Cahaba River, Alabama

Population fragmentation by dams of all sizes is a major threat to biodiversity in running waters. Dam removal has become an increasingly popular tool among conservation practitioners because of its potential benefits to aquatic organisms and ecosystems. During fish monitoring following removal of a small run-of-river dam on the Cahaba River, we documented new upstream records between 8 months and 2 years post-removal for five species: Stargazer Shiner, Notropis uranoscopus; River Redhorse, Moxostoma carinatum; Southern Sand Darter, Ammocrypta meridiana; Freckled Darter, Percina lenticula; River Darter, P. shumardi. These new records suggest that the former dam may have served as a barrier to dispersal of resident species, and that dam removal may have benefited these species by opening additional habitat to colonization