Bluegrass Darter

This breeding male of this species, a member of the subgenus Doration, is distinguished by the following characters: spinous dorsal fin with black marginal band, orange medial band, black submedial band interrupted by vertical orange streaks extending from medial band above to basal band, the basal band with bright orange pigment; soft dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins with distinct bright orange spots on rays; soft dorsal and anal fins without blue pigment; anal fin with many distinct orange spots on rays; the face and lower head tangerine orange with blue on operculum, preoperculum, cheek, and suborbital bar (not on lips and mid-gular region); quadrate lateral blue blotches extend ventrad from lateral line scale row; blue wedge on ventral half of caudal fin base but not developed dorsally. In addition, there is no frenum; incomplete lateral line, unpored scales modally greater than 10 (14); the cheek is usually naked; no palatine teeth; dorsal fin spines modally 12-13; dorsal soft rays modally 11; anal fin soft rays modally 8; pectoral fin rays modally 15; the principal caudal fin rays modally 15; caudal peduncle scales modally 16; preoperculomandibular canal pores modally 10 (Ref. 92294).

Dorsal spines (total): 11 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 13; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 7 - 9

The bluegrass darter (Etheostoma jimmycarter) is a fish found in the Green River drainage in Kentucky and Tennessee.

It was named after the 39th president of the United States Jimmy Carter for his environmental leadership and accomplishments in the areas of national energy policy and wilderness protection, and his lifelong commitment to social justice and basic human rights.