Florida Sand Darter

Diet and feeding

The FishTraits compilation records these diet categories for this species: invertebrates or larval fish. These are broad categories, not a claim that every individual consumes every example in a category.

Habitat preferences

Reported habitat associations include medium to large rivers, streams and small rivers.

The source records associations with sand. An association indicates reported use, rather than an exclusive requirement.

Reproduction and parental care

The compilation reports a representative maturity age of 1 years. Its maturity field summarizes mean, median, or modal estimates, usually for females; male estimates can be used when female data are unavailable. It is not a fixed age at which every fish first breeds.

Recorded spawning months are Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug for the source’s reporting region (AL). This is a regional calendar, not a range-wide schedule.

Size and recorded longevity

FishTraits reports a maximum total length of 6.4 centimetres. Some entries use an estimated asymptotic length; this value should not be treated as a certified record catch.

Recorded longevity in the compilation is 3 years. Wild observations were preferred, but captive records were accepted where wild records were unavailable, and unspecified records were assumed wild. The value is not a guaranteed wild lifespan or an aquarium life expectancy.

Native range

Gulf Slope drainages from Choctawhatchee River west to Perdido River, southern Alabama and Florida panhandle (Williams 1975).

Habitat and ecology

Inhabits streams with sandy bottoms and moderate to swift currents (Williams 1975). Spawning occurs from April-August, with maturity reached by 38 (females) to 43 (males) mm SL (Williams 1975; Heins 1985). Maximum life span of approximately 3 years (Heins 1985).

Introduction history

The introduction of the Florida Sand Darter was most likely via a bait bucket (Gilbert and J. D. Williams, unpublished data). While this highly translucent darter may not be used for bait, it easily may have been taken as by-catch by anglers seining for bait. It is common in streams of the Choctawhatchee River drainage, just west of the Apalachicola River, and anyone seining for bait minnows in streams with sandy bottom pools may have captured Florida Sand Darters.