Crystal Darter | Crystallaria asprella

Status: IUCN: Vulnerable; USFWS: Not Listed

Threats: Impoundments, mining, pollution, and sedimentation.

CFI Status: Propagated at CFI from 2014-2017 and again in 2021-2022 to develop propagation protocols and to serve as a surrogate species to the Diamond Darter. (What do these terms mean?)

Native Range: Mississippi River Basin from Wabash River, IN to se. NM and south to s, MS, n. LA, and se. OK; Gulf Slope in Escambia, Mobile Bay, Pascagoula, and Pearl River Drainages, FL, AL, and MS.

Spawning Habitat Preferences: Early spring spawners in medium to large rivers with swift flowing streams and riffles; lay eggs over sandy to gravel substrates

Fun Fact: The Crystal Darter is nearly see-through and capable of quickly burrowing their bodies into the soft sands they are found over, making them a very difficult species to monitor in the wild. Robert A. Hrabik, a biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, discovered that their eyes are reflective and their saddle pattern is distinct when lit from above with a headlamp at night. This has since become a preferred technique to use when looking for this species.

In Partnership With: Ohio USFWS; West Virginia USFWS