Swannanoa Darter

The Swannanoa darter has a relatively limited distribution compared to some other etheostomid darters. It can be found in the southern Appalachian Mountain headwaters of the Tennessee River and other areas in East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Western North Carolina. It is found in the Clinch and Powell River systems in Virginia and through the upper Holston and French Broad River systems along the Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina borders. Although it has been documented in the Clinch and Powell River systems in Virginia, it is not found in these same systems in Tennessee. E. swannanoa was found only sporadically in the Tennessee River headwaters and specifically in the Clinch, Holston, Watauga, and Nolichucky Rivers. It prefers cold, clear water with boulder substrates.

The Swannanoa darter prefers flowing water in riffles pools in cool, clear mountain streams. For the greenside darter (Etheostoma blenniodies), a close relative of the Swannanoa darter found in similar areas, juveniles mostly eat midge larvae and microcrustaceans. Adults have more varied diets, primarily made up of mayflies and caddisflies. Adults also eat midge, black fly, and other aquatic insect larvae. In some areas, such as the Little River of Tennessee, adults ate many Leptoxis spp. snails. Feeding intensity is much less in winter and greatest in May and June. Juvenile specimens were lacking in summer and early fall collections. This suggests the juvenile habitat is different from the adult habitat. Pollution from mining operations and the impoundment of streams and rivers throughout the Swannanoa darter's range has possibly resulted in declines in distribution.