FishDatabase

Orangefin Darter

Nothonotus bellus

Percidae · Fish

1 minute read · Species guide

Orangefin Darter field guide illustration

About Orangefin Darter

The orangefin darter lives in the upper Green and Barren river systems of Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. Its distribution is restricted to those connected waters.

Native2 states

Range and natural history

It occupies fast riffles over rock in creeks and small to medium rivers. Recorded food includes the larvae of midges and blackflies. The flowing riffle habitat and insect diet place it within the small-animal food web along the river bottom.

The site uses Nothonotus bellus; FishBase uses Etheostoma bellum. ITIS explicitly connects these names as synonyms, so the older genus combination in the linked biological account refers to this species.

Sources: Etheostoma bellum species summary; Taxonomy and name history

Guide sources

Research reviewed 2026-10-19.

Range

Where it lives

Share of 510 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 2 states.
0%
92%
Share of 510 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 2 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Migration
Undetermined

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Superclass
Actinopterygii
Class
Teleostei
Order
Perciformes
Family
Percidae
Genus
Nothonotus
Species
Nothonotus bellus
ITIS TSN
1148997
GBIF key
2382211

Common questions about Orangefin Darter

What is the scientific name of Orangefin Darter?
The scientific name is Nothonotus bellus, in the family Percidae. Classification follows ITIS.
Where has Orangefin Darter been recorded in the United States?
GBIF has observations in 2 states, with the most records in Kentucky, Tennessee. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives

Other Nothonotus species

Bayou Darter1 states
Nothonotus rubrusPercidaeNative
Bloodfin Darter4 states
Nothonotus sanguifluusPercidaeNativeFresh
Bluebreast Darter11 states
Nothonotus camurusPercidaeNative
Boulder Darter2 states
Nothonotus wapitiPercidaeNativeFresh
Caney Fork Darter1 states
Nothonotus starnesiPercidaeNativeFresh
Coppercheek Darter1 states
Nothonotus aqualiPercidaeNativeFresh
Etowah Darter2 states
Nothonotus etowahaePercidaeNative
Golden Darter3 states
Nothonotus denoncourtiPercidaeNative
Greenbreast Darter3 states
Nothonotus jordaniPercidaeNative
Greenfin Darter4 states
Nothonotus chlorobranchiusPercidaeNative
Lipstick Darter2 states
Nothonotus chuckwachattePercidaeNative
Redline Darter9 states
Nothonotus rufilineatusPercidaeNative
Sharphead Darter3 states
Nothonotus acuticepsPercidaeNative
Smallscale Darter2 states
Nothonotus microlepidusPercidaeNativeFresh
Spotted Darter17 states
Nothonotus maculatusPercidaeNativeFresh
Tippecanoe Darter8 states
Nothonotus tippecanoePercidaeNative
Tuskaloosa Darter1 states
Nothonotus douglasiPercidaeNative
Wounded Darter5 states
Nothonotus vulneratusPercidaeNativeFresh
Yellowcheek Darter1 states
Nothonotus mooreiPercidaeNative
Yoke Darter3 states
Nothonotus juliaePercidaeNative

Same family

More Percidae

Alabama Darter3 states
Etheostoma ramseyiPercidaeNativeFresh
Amber Darter3 states
Percina antesellaPercidaeNativeFresh
Appalachia Darter3 states
Percina gymnocephalaPercidaeNativeFresh
Arkansas Darter5 states
Etheostoma craginiPercidaeNative and introducedFresh
Arkansas Saddled Darter3 states
Etheostoma euzonumPercidaeNativeFresh
Arrow Darter3 states
Etheostoma sagittaPercidaeNativeFresh
Ashy Darter5 states
Allohistium cinereumPercidaeNativeFresh
Autumn Darter2 states
Etheostoma autumnalePercidaeNativeFresh
Backwater Darter3 states
Etheostoma zoniferPercidaeNativeFresh
Banded Darter24 states
Etheostoma zonalePercidaeNative and introducedFresh
Bandfin Darter4 states
Etheostoma zonistiumPercidaeNativeFresh
Bankhead Darter1 states
Percina sipsiPercidaeNativeFresh
Barcheek Darter2 states
Etheostoma obeyensePercidaeNativeFresh
Barrens Darter2 states
Etheostoma forbesiPercidaeNativeFresh
Bayou Darter1 states
Nothonotus rubrusPercidaeNative
Beaded Darter1 states
Etheostoma clintonPercidaeNativeFresh
Bigscale Logperch7 states
Percina macrolepidaPercidaeNative and introducedFresh
Black Darter6 states
Etheostoma duryiPercidaeNativeFresh
Blackbanded Darter10 states
Percina nigrofasciataPercidaeNativeFresh
Blackfin Darter3 states
Etheostoma nigripinnePercidaeNativeFresh
Blackside Darter28 states
Percina maculataPercidaeNativeFresh
Blenny Darter3 states
Etheostoma blenniusPercidaeNativeFresh
Bloodfin Darter4 states
Nothonotus sanguifluusPercidaeNativeFresh
Blotchside Logperch17 states
Percina burtoniPercidaeNativeFresh

All 229 species in Percidae