About Hypentelium etowanum (Jordan, 1877)
Hypentelium etowanum is a fish species that reaches a maximum length of 23 centimeters. It has dark bars along its back, horizontal pale stripes, and orange fins. This fish is found in the Chattahoochee River, Mobile Bay drainages, and the nearby creeks connected to these systems. The species takes its name from the Etowah River of Georgia. It inhabits clear water with rocky and gravelly substrates in riffles, creeks, and streams. To feed, it rummages through rocks using its bony head, long snout, and sucker mouth to consume bottom-dwelling organisms. Analysis of stomach contents found 90.6% of consumed food items were Diptera, with Chironomidae larvae alone making up 88.8% of the total diet. The species likely has a lifespan of more than five years. Individuals reach sexual maturity at around three years of age, or when they grow to a length of approximately 110 millimeters. Its fastest growth in size and weight occurs in spring, when increased feeding is triggered by the upcoming spawning season. Spawning takes place over gravel substrates in pools and riffles, with a typical spawning arrangement of one female positioned between two males. After eggs are released and fertilized, the species provides no parental care, and eggs hatch after ten days.
