Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Tennessee
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Longnose Darters Percina nasuta (S1, State Endangered) are one of the rarest fish in Missouri and were petitioned for listing under the Federal Endangered Species Act with a preliminary finding scheduled for federal FY2020. Little is known about this species in Missouri or how isolated populations in the state may relate to populations in other parts of the species’ range. Consider the entry under Habits and Life History for the Longnose Darter in The Fishes of Missouri which simply states “Spawning has been observed in pool raceways in the upper White River, Arkansas in mid-May. Nothing else has been reported of its natural history.” This lack of information, especially from Missouri, inhibits the ability of state and federal agencies to make informed and defensible management and policy decisions. These decisions include state and federal conservation status listings, management of national forest lands by the USFS, suggestions for BMPs related to Natural Heritage reviews of projects, implementation and priority of on-the ground stream management practices, and identification of and potential response to threats. A better understanding of Longnose Darter ecology and relationships between Missouri populations and those found elsewhere will play a key role in the upcoming federal Species Status Assessment that evaluates resiliency, redundancy, and representation of the species and ultimately will assist with recovery efforts such as captive breeding and reintroduction.