Life History of the Pinewoods Darter, 
Etheostoma mariae (Osteichthyes: Percidae), a Fish 
Endemic to the Carolina Sandhills 
Fred C. Rohde and Steve W. Ross 
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, 
7225 Wrightsville Avenue, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403 
ABSTRACT . — Etheostoma mariae is restricted to streams in the 
Carolina Sandhills area of North and South Carolina below the Fall 
Line. It is found primarily in small creeks with gravel substrate, often 
in or near vegetation. Twenty-five fish-associates were taken with E. 
mariae. Spawning occurred from April to July at water temperatures 
ranging from 14 to 21 °C. A strong relationship existed between 
mature ova number and standard length (Log Y = -2.8523 + 2.8710 
Log SL, r = 0.89); mean mature ovum diameter was 1.6 mm. Growth 
was rapid in the first year with maturity occurring at the end of the 
year. Maximum age of E. mariae was 36 months. Males were longer 
than females, with maximum lengths attained of 60 mm and 51 mm 
SL, respectively. The sex ratio was 2.06 females: 1 male. Females were 
slightly heavier than males at the same length. Commonly eaten foods 
were dipteran larvae (in 86.8% of stomachs), ephemeropteran nymphs, 
trichopteran larvae, and plecopteran nymphs. Chironomids were the 
dominant food in all months except May, June, and October when 
simuliids were most common. Chironomids were important foods for 
smaller fish (< 40 mm) with simuliids gaining importance in larger E. 
mariae. 
The pinewoods darter, Etheostoma ( Belophlox ) mariae (Fowler), is 
endemic to streams in the Carolina Sandhills where it is restricted to the 
i 
Lumber River (Little Pee Dee system) in North Carolina and to the 
Little Pee Dee River in North and South Carolina. Contrary to the 
statement made by Kuehne and Barbour (1983), this species is found 
only below the Fall Line (Fig. 1). The single South Carolina record (two 
specimens) is from Panther Creek (reported as Beaver Dam Creek by 
Richards 1963). This darter is more commonly encountered in the 
Lumber River headwaters than in those of the Little Pee Dee. Because 
of its limited range, the presence of significant pollution in the upper 
Lumber River, and several plans to channelize and drain parts of this 
river, Bailey (1977) considered it to be a species of special concern in 
North Carolina. Its status is also of concern to the U.S. Fish and Wild- 
life Service (R. Biggins, pers. comm.). 
Except for a brief discussion of habitat and species associates in 
the systematic treatment of E. mariae and E. fricksium by Richards 
Brimleyana No. 13:1-20, July 1987 
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