Iowa Fish Atlas

Native: Yes

State Rank: S4

ITIS Code: 168378          

National Rank: N5           

Global Rank: G5

Modeled By: Anna Loan-Wilsey

State Range:

The rainbow darter is moderately abundant throughout the Eastern Broadleaf Forest Aquatic Subregion, where they are found in creeks and upper reaches of rivers (Harlan et al. 1987).

Habitat Affinities:

The rainbow darter is a stream fish occupying all stream sizes except for small headwater creeks. It prefers higher gradient swift streams with permanent flow and clean gravel, rubble or sandy bottoms (Eddy and Underhill 1974; Etnier and Starnes 1993; Pflieger 1997; Robison and Buchanan 1988). Areas with wide, medium gradient riffles often have larger populations (Clay 1975; Pflieger 1997; Trautman 1981). The rainbow darter, while somewhat tolerant, shows sensitivity to turbidity, pollution and irregular flow (Phillips et. al. 1982; Robison and Buchanan 1988; Trautman 1981) and is captured with a greater variety of other darters than almost any species (Kuehne and Barbour 1983). In Iowa, it may be locally the most abundant darter in moderate gradient creeks and small rivers with riffles over coarse gravel or rubble (Harlan et al. 1987).  Adult rainbow darters are often found in fast, deep riffles while the young inhabit quiet, shallow riffles and small pools (Page 1983)

Predictive Model(s):

Statewide Model: by 8-digit HU [Decision Tree Analysis n=78]

The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.

"SUBREGION_" = 2 AND

  (("MINELEVR" <= 1 AND ("LINKR" > 4 AND "LINKR" <= 6)) OR

  (("MINELEVR" > 1 AND "MINELEVR" <= 3) AND "TEMP_CODE" <= 1 AND

("GRADRCHR" > 1 AND "GRADRCHR" <= 2)) OR  

"MINELEVR" > 3)

Overall Prediction:

("SUBREGION_" = 2 AND

(( "MINELEVR" <= 1 AND ("LINKR" > 4 AND "LINKR" <= 6)) OR

(( "MINELEVR" > 1 AND "MINELEVR" <= 3) AND "TEMP_CODE" <= 1 AND ("GRADRCHR" > 1 AND "GRADRCHR" <= 2)) OR

 "MINELEVR" > 3))

Literature Cited:

Clay, W.M.  1975.  The fishes of Kentucky.  Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Frankfort, Kentucky.  416 pp.

Eddy, S., and J.C. Underhill.  1974.  Northern fishes; with special reference to the upper Mississippi Valley.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  414 pp.

Etnier, D.A., and W.E. Starnes.  1993.  The fishes of Tennessee.  University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee.  681 pp.

Harlan, J.R., E.B. Speaker, and J. Mayhew.  1987.  Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa. 323pp.

Kuehne, R.A., and R.W. Barbour.  1983.  The American darters.  University Press of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.  177 pp.

Page, L.M. 1983.  Handbook of darters.  T.F.H. Publishing, Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey.  271 pp.

Pflieger, W.L.  1997.  The fishes of Missouri.  Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, Missouri.  372 pp.

Phillips, G.L., W.D. Schmid, and J.C. Underhill.  1982.  Fishes of the Minnesota region.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  248 pp.

Robison, H.W., and T.M. Buchanan. 1988.  Fishes of Arkansas.  University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, Arkansas.  536 pp.

Trautman, M.B.  1981.  The fishes of Ohio.  Revised Edition.  Ohio State University Press in collaboration with the Ohio Sea Grant Program Center for Lake Erie Area Research,  Columbus, Ohio.  782 pp.

Data Sources:

Bernstein, N.P.  2003.  Personal communications and unpublished reports.  Mount Mercy

College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Coon, T.G.  1980.  Fish sampling data sheets. University of Missouri-Columbia,

Columbia, Missouri.

Decorah Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Decorah, Iowa.

Dowell, V.  1981.  Collections in Cedar River Basin, 1956-1981.  University of Northern

Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Gelwicks, G., J. Heitke, and G. Simmons.  2002.  Contemporary fish survey.  Iowa

Department of Natural Resources, Manchester, Iowa.

Goellner, K.E.  1976.  Field Notes: 1949-1976.  Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Iowa State University.  2002.  Miscellaneous field notes from fish surveys conducted by

faculty and students, 1972 and 1980.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Iowa State University Museum.  1985.  Collection of fishes catalog, 1878-1985.   Iowa

State University, Ames, Iowa.

Lake Darling Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Southeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Brighton, Iowa.  

Lake MacBride Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports. 

Southeast Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Solon, Iowa.

Lyon, D.  2002.  Personal communication.  Retired biology professor, Cornell College,

Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Manchester Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Manchester, Iowa.

Meek, S.E.  1892.  Report upon the fishes of Iowa, based upon observations and

collections mad during 1889, 1890, 1891.  Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission 10(1890):217-248.

Menzel, B.W.  1983.  Field notes: northeast.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1984.  Field notes: Iowa-Cedar.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Mount Mercy College Museum.  2002.  Vertebrate collection database report.  Mount

Mercy College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Museum of Zoology.  2002.  Division of Fishes collection database.  University of

Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/. (May, 2002)

Olson, J.R.  1998.  Historic fish survey database.  Water Quality Bureau, Iowa

Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Paragamian, V.L.  1990.  Fish populations of Iowa rivers and streams.  Technical Bulletin

No. 3.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Schmidt, K.  1999.  Upper Iowa River 1998-1999 fish survey: database overview

summary.  Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Wilton, T., K. Krier, and J. Mootz.  2003.  Stream Biological Assessment Database.

Environmental Services Division, Water Quality Bureau, TMDL and Water Quality Assessment Section, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Additional References:

Aadland, L.P.,  C.M. Cook, M.T. Negus, H.G. Drewes, and  C.S. Anderson.  1991.  Microhabitat preferences of selected stream fishes and community-oriented approach to instream flow assessments.  Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Section of Fisheries, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  142 pp.

Adamson, S.W., and T.E. Wissing.  1977.  Food habits and feeding periodicity of the rainbow, fantail, and banded darters in Four Mile Creek.  Ohio Journal of. Science 77(4):164-169.

Bailey, R.M., J.E. Fitch, E.S. Herald, E.A. Lachner, C.C. Lindsey, C.R. Robins, and W.B. Scott.  1970.  A list of common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada.  American Fisheries Society Special Publication No. 6. 149 pp.

Bart, H.L., Jr., and L.M. Page.  1992.  The influence of size and phylogeny on life history variation in North American percids.  Pages 553-572 in R. L. Mayden, editor.  Systematics, historical ecology, and North American freshwater fishes.  Stanford University Press, Stanford, Calfiornia. xxvi + 969 pp.

Coper, J.E.  1979.  Description of eggs and larvae of fantail, Etheostoma flabellare, and rainbow, E. caerulum darters from Lake Erie tributaries.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 108(1): 46-56.

Cross, F.B., and J.T. Collins.  1995.  Fishes in Kansas.  University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Public Education Series No. 14, Lawrence, Kansas.   315 pp.

Douglas, N.H.  1974.  Freshwater fishes of Louisiana.  Claitor’s Publishing Division, Sponsored by Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  443 pp.

Hansen, M.J., S.P. Gloss, and B.L. Peckarsky.  1986.  Predator species richness and prey population variability: effects on diets of benthic stream fishes.  American Midland Naturalist 115:63-72.

Hubbs, C.  1985.  Darter reproductive seasons.  Copeia 1985:56-68.

Kelly, G., editor.  1986.  Animal habitat relations handbook.  Missouri Department of Conservation and U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Jefferson City, Missouri.  293 pp.

Lee, D.S., C.R. Gilbert, C.H. Hocutt, R.E. Jenkins, D.E. McAllister, and J.R. Stauffer, Jr.  1980.  Atlas of North American freshwater fishes.  North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina.  867 pp.

Lobb, M.D., III, and D.J. Orth.  1991.  Habitat use by an assemblage of fish in a large warmwater stream.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 120:65-78.

Nemecek, R.J.  1980.  The comparative ecology of three species of darters in the genus etheostoma: E. variatum, E. caeruleum, E. zonale in the Allegheny River. drainage of western New York.  Ph.D. dissertation, St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, New York.  175 pp.

Page, L.M., and B.M. Burr.  1991.  A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico.  Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.

Pflieger, W.L.  1971.  A distributional study of Missouri fishes.  University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History  20(3):225-570.

Pflieger, W.L.  1989a.  Aquatic community classification system for Missouri.  Missouri Department of Conservation.  Jefferson City, Missouri.  Aquatic Series No. 19. 70 pp. plus Supplement.

Pflieger, W.L.  1989b.  The stream resources of Missouri.  D-J Project - F-1-R-28.  Study S-20.  Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri.  

Reeves, C.D.  1907.  The breeding habits of the rainbow darter, Etheostoma caeruleum (Storer), a study in sexual selection.  The Biological Bulletin 14:35-59 + Figs. 1-3.

Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott.  1991.  Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada.  American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20, Bethesda, Maryland. 183 pp.

Smale, M.A., and C. F. Rabeni.  1995.  Hypoxia and hyperthermia tolerances of headwater stream fishes. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society  124:698-710.

Thom, R.H., and J.H. Wilson.  1980.  The natural divisions of Missouri.  Transactions of the Missouri Academy of Science  14:9-24.

Vogt, G. F.  1987.  Foraging behavior and microhabitat selection of rainbow darters, Etheostoma caeruleum, and orangethroat darters E. spectabile.  Master’s thesis. University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.  121 pp.

Winn, H.E.  1958a.  Comparative reproductive behavior and ecology of fourteen species of darters (Pisces- Percidae).  Ecological Monographs 28:155-191.

Winn, H.E.  1958b.  Observations on the reproductive habits of darters (pisces-Percidae).  American Midland Naturalist 59(1):190-212.

Wood, R.M.  1996.  Phylogenetic systematics of the darter subgenus Nothonotus (Teleostei: Percidae). Copeia 1996:300-318.

Photo Credits:

Upper Left:       Photo courtesy of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, http://www.ohiodnr.com/default.htm.

Upper Right:     Photo courtesy of Konrad P. Schmidt, copyright Konrad P. Schmidt.