Species-Level Recognition and Redescription of the Kentucky Arrow Darter, Etheostoma spilotum Gilbert (Percidae: litocara)

Instream barriers contribute to population isolation of a small‐bodied, benthic, headwater‐specialist fish (Percidae)

“…Although the South Fork Kentucky River system is one of six sub‐basins where E. spilotum occur, it contains 25 of the 52 streams with extant populations, making it a highly important area for conservation of the species (Thomas et al., 2023; USFWS, 2022). Continued population monitoring and studies that measure the impacts of anthropogenic activities on species occurrence, abundance and genetic diversity will be essential to detect further declines and to develop targeted conservation actions that alleviate primary threats.…”

“…These features make them particularly sensitive to habitat degradation and fragmentation and the negative genetic outcomes of these actions. Etheostoma spilotum is restricted to headwater streams of the upper Kentucky River drainage in southeastern Kentucky (Etnier & Starnes, 1993; Kuehne & Barbour, 1983; Thomas et al., 2023) and currently occupies only 45% of its historical range. It was listed as threatened by the U.S.…”

“…We focused our landscape genetics study of E. spilotum on populations in the South Fork Kentucky River system, a stronghold area for the species, which harbours the largest number of extant populations, with some of the highest estimated census sizes (Thomas, 2008; USFWS, 2022). The South Fork Kentucky River is largely encompassed by the Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF), which affords some protection from human impacts, but has been degraded by surface mining, silviculture, agriculture and numerous road crossings with culverts, which may alter instream habitats and limit dispersal and gene flow (Thomas, 2008; Thomas et al., 2023). Notably, Blanton et al.…”