Stuart Welsh, an assistant professor in the Wildlife and Fisheries Resources Program at West Virginia University recently described a new species of fish called the diamond darter or Crystallaria cincotta in the Elk River of West Virginia. From the Huntington Herald Dispatch, WV:

Adult diamond darters range from 3 to 5 inches long. They have fewer cheek scales than crystal darters. Other differences include sickle-shaped pelvic fins, a dark spot in front of the eye and a wide mouth gape, WVU said.

“The discovery of a new species in West Virginia is not something that happens every day,” Welsh said. “To our knowledge, the diamond darters found in the Elk River represent the only known extant population of this species.”

The newly described darter is rare therefore should be listed as endangered or needing protection. In addition, riverine fish and mollusks like darters, freshwater clams and mussels depend on clear and clean aquatic environments. These species are threatened by erosion and siltation due to anthropogenic activities such as development in addition to poor water conservation or management practices of households and municipalities. From Welsh & Wood (2008) in Zootaxa:

Wood and Raley (2000) suggested that the population of Crystallaria in Elk River, West Virginia, should be given federal protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act based on the scarcity of individuals, the genetic uniqueness and sister group relationship with C. asprella, and cumulative landuse threats within the Elk River drainage. The scarcity of C. cincotta in the Elk River is supported by a total of 12 specimens from extensive sampling efforts from 1980 to 2005.

Image used from the journal article referenced below. For more information refer to the paper in Zootaxa which is publised by the Magnolia Press:

Welsh, SA and RM Wood (2008) Crystallaria cincotta, a new species of darter (Teleostei: Percidae) from the Elk River of the Ohio River drainage, West Virginia. Zootaxa 1680, pp. 62–68.