Percina nigrofasciata
(Agassiz 1854)
Family Percidae

Lateral view of blackbanded darter
From top to bottom, the photo above shows a male, female and two juvenile blackbanded darters. These fish are now part of the Florida Museum ichthyology collection, UF 187656, UF 187750 and UF 238549 respectively. Florida Museum photo by Zachary Randall

The blackbanded darter is a member of the perch and darter family. It has a slender and slightly compressed body and between 12 and 15 dark brown to black bars along the side of the body. There is a vertical row of three dark spots on the caudal fin base, and the back and upper side are olive to dusky brown with between six and eight dark saddles on the back. Blackbanded darters can be found in pools, runs and riffles of headwaters, creeks and small to medium rivers. This species is most common in swift water near woody debris or rubble.

Status & distribution

  • Status — Native freshwater
  • Florida Distribution — Western and North Central and Peninsula drainages
  • River Drainages — Perdido River, Escambia River, Blackwater River, Yellow River, Choctawhatchee River, Econfina Creek, Apalachicola River, Ochlockonee River, minor Gulf tributaries, Suwannee River, Withlacoochee River, Lake Okeechobee and the St. John’s River
View species in collection database New gallery search