136 Melvin L. Warren, Jr. 



the subgenus. Percina oxyrhyncha was unknown in Kentucky until 

 Denoncourt et al. (1977) reported specimens from the upper Kentucky 

 River, and others later noted the species from the upper Big Sandy, 

 Licking, and Green rivers (Thompson 1978; Bauer and Branson 1979; Burr 

 1980; Thompson 1980a). Thompson (1980a) depicted the range in the Big 

 Sandy River as the extreme headwaters of Levisa and Russell Forks near 

 the Kentucky-Virginia line. The collections of my report indicate that the 

 species is common in Russell Fork, and that the range extends downstream 

 in Levisa Fork at least 80 km from the Kentucky-Virginia line. 



The Levisa Fork specimens were adults and were taken in a swift, 

 boulder strewn shoal (0.8-1.0 m deep) directly adjacent to a dense bed of 

 Justicia americana. The only directly associated percid was Percina sclera. 

 In contrast, the series of juveniles from Russell Fork was collected from a 

 shallow (0.15 m), rubble-gravel shoreline area with moderate current. 

 Species associates included juvenile Percina ex ides, P. copelandi, P. sciera, 

 and P. caprodes. Denoncourt et al. ( 1 977) noted a correlation of specimen 

 size with both substrate and gradient; the above observations support their 

 findings. The rarity of P. oxyrhyncha in Kentucky is no doubt partly 

 attributable to taxonomic confusion and the difficulty of collecting adults 

 in the preferred big river habitats. The status of the species is currently 

 listed as undetermined by the Kentucky Academy of Science (Branson 

 etal. 1981). 



Percina phoxocephala (Nelson). Slenderhead darter. UNO 3346 (1), 

 Tygarts Cr. (Ohio R. dr.), Bennetts Covered Bridge at jet K Y 7 and Co. Rd. 

 1215, Greenup Co., 31 May 1978. 



Percina phoxocephala is most easily confused with P. oxyrhyncha. It 

 differs in having lower meristics, a more robust body, and less elongate 

 head and snout (Bruce A. Thompson, pers. comm). Hubbs and Raney 

 (1939) regarded the snout length as diagnostic in separating the two 

 species. The slenderhead darter is the most widely distributed member of 

 the subgenus Swalnia and has been previously reported in Kentucky from 

 the Green, lower Kentucky (Eagle Creek), Tennessee and Cumberland 

 rivers (Burr 1980; Thompson 1980b). The specimen from Tygarts Creek 

 represents the most upstream record in the Ohio River valley of Ken- 

 tucky. Its presence in this stream is not unexpected in light of the prox- 

 imity to populations in northern tributaries of the Ohio River (e.g., Sci- 

 oto River). 



The single adult male was near breeding condition, supporting the 

 April to early June spawning period postulated by Thompson (1980b). The 

 specimen was taken in a moderately fast sand and gravel riffle that sup- 

 ported a dense growth of Justicia americana. Personal observations in this 

 and Green River collections suggest that adult P. phoxocephala occur 



