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| NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species |
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Common Name: snail darter
Taxonomy: available through 
Identification: Page (1983); Page and Burr (1991); Etnier and Starnes (1993).
Size: 9 cm.
Native Range: Upper Tennessee drainage of eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia, and
Alabama, including Little Tennessee River, Watts Bar Reservoir below
Fort Loudon Dam, South Chickamauga Creek, lower portion of Big Sewee
Creek in Meigs County, lower Sequatchie River in Marion County, Little
River in Blount County, lower French Broad River in Sevier County, and
lower Paint Rock River in Madison County, Alabama (Page and Burr 1991;
Etnier and Starnes 1993).
Nonindigenous Occurrences: Introduced in Tennessee into the Hiwassee River, Polk County; the Nolichucky River; the lower Holston River; and the middle Elk River (Lee et al. 1980 et seq.; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982a; Etnier and Starnes 1993).
Means of Introduction: The snail darter was intentionally introduced to create an additional population of this endangered fish when its only known habitat was threatened by construction of a dam. Seven hundred and ten snail darters were introduced into the Hiwassee River from June 1975 to February 1976 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982a; Etnier and Starnes 1993). In October 1975, 61 were introduced into the Nolichucky River. Introductions into the Nolichucky River were halted when the sharphead darter Etheostoma acuticeps was discovered there, for fear the introduction would jeopardize this rare species (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982a; Etnier and Starnes 1993). The Holston River was stocked with 533 snail darters from the Hiwassee and Little Tennessee rivers during the period 1978 to 1979. The Elk River was stocked in July 1980 with 425 snail darters from the Little Tennessee River (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982a).
Status: Established in Hiwassee River and range expanding (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982a). One darter observed in Nolichucky River in 1980. Single individual possibly from small reproducing population or escapee from fish hatchery upstream; none found since. Status of Holston River and Elk River populations uncertain (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982a; Etnier and Starnes 1993). Snail darters found in lower French Broad and lower Holston rivers in 1988 and 1989 presumably represent progeny of Holston River transplants (Etnier and Starnes 1993).
Impact of Introduction: Unknown.
Remarks: The snail darter was listed as a federally endangered species in 1975 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982a). After several more populations were discovered in the early 1980s, the species' status was changed to threatened in 1984 (Etnier and Starnes 1993).
Other Resources:
FishBase Fact Sheet
Author: Pam Fuller
Revision Date: 7/27/2004 Citation for this information:
Pam Fuller. 2009. Percina tanasi. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL.
<http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=827> Revision Date: 7/27/2004
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