Pinewoods Darter: Facts & Habitat

About Pinewoods Darter

The pinewoods darter (Etheostoma mariae) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States where it is only known to occur in the Little Peedee River system in the Carolinas. It inhabits creeks, preferring gravel riffles and vegetated areas with strong currents. This species can reach a length of 7.6 centimetres (3.0 in) TL though most only reach about 5.2 centimetres (2.0 in).

NativeFresh4 states

Article text: Wikipedia contributors, Pinewoods darter (source revision). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

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.

Reported feeding positions include bottom feeding and surface or water-column feeding. The compilation combines published observations; diets can vary with age, locality, and available food.

Habitat preferences

Reported habitat associations include streams and small rivers, creeks.

The source records associations with gravel, vegetation. 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 for the source’s reporting region (NC). This is a regional calendar, not a range-wide schedule.

Size and recorded longevity

FishTraits reports a maximum total length of 7 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.

Range

Where it lives

97.9%of mapped records

Share of 239 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 4 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water: WoRMS records this species in fresh water.
Migration: Undetermined

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Class: Teleostei
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Etheostoma
Species: Etheostoma mariae
ITIS TSN: 168409
WoRMS AphiaID: 1592298
GBIF key: 2382371

Common questions about Pinewoods Darter

What is the scientific name of Pinewoods Darter?

The scientific name is Etheostoma mariae, in the family Percidae. Classification follows ITIS.

Does Pinewoods Darter live in fresh water or salt water?

WoRMS records this species in fresh water.

Where has Pinewoods Darter been recorded in the United States?

GBIF has observations in 4 states, with the most records in North Carolina, Kentucky, South Carolina. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives