116 
Joe C. Feeman, Jr. 
three samples in 1981, with night samples being more successful. The 
present known range of this species includes Copper Creek, Citico 
Creek, and Little River of the Tennessee River drainage, and the Big 
South Fork of the Cumberland River drainage. 
Several other species collected in Copper Creek are considered to 
be of special concern in Virginia (Jenkins and Burkhead 1980): blueside 
darter ( Etheostoma jessiae ), tangerine darter ( Percina aurantiaca), and 
blotchside logperch ( P . burtoni). 
Nolichucky River 
The Nolichucky River site (RM 27.8) produced the lowest number 
of species (38) of the nine study streams (Table 2). At this site the Noli- 
chucky is a large river with a diversity of habitats. However, our three 
samples were taken from the narrow channel behind Hale Island, with 
the majority of flow directed toward the opposite side of the island. This 
restriction of sampling area may account for the low number of species 
collected. 
The most significant species taken in the Nolichucky River was the 
sharphead darter, Etheostoma acuticeps Bailey. This species was thought 
to be extinct until 1972, when Jenkins and Burkhead collected three 
specimens in the South Fork Holston River, just above South Holston 
Reservoir (Jenkins and Burkhead 1975). Three years later, TVA col- 
lected several specimens in the Nolichucky River at RM 18.0 (Saylor 
and Etnier 1976). The sharphead darter has since been collected through- 
out the Nolichucky and portions of its headwaters (Bryant et al. 1979, 
Haxo and Neves 1984). 
A total of 121 specimens of E. acuticeps were collected in our three 
samples on the Nolichucky River. The July sample yielded 64 speci- 
mens, many of which exhibited breeding condition. Males displayed 
brilliant blue coloration and body forms that were more robust than 
usual. This collection corresponds to the spawning period determined 
by Bryant (1979). Specimens in May and June (39 and 18, respectively) 
did not display spawning coloration. 
Most individuals were taken in swift riffles with boulder and rubble 
substrate, which agrees with findings of earlier workers (Bailey 1959, 
Bryant 1979). The most successful areas of collection were the swiftest 
(and most difficult to sample) riffles. Only a few specimens were taken 
in other habitats with less current. 
Paint Rock River 
The fauna of this direct tributary to the Tennessee River was rela- 
tively unknown until recent years. Although no major work has been 
published on the fauna of this stream, Tom Jandebeur (pers. comm.) is 
currently preparing a manuscript on the fishes of the Paint Rock River. 
Our sample site (RM 60.0) was just below the confluence of the 
Estill Fork and Hurricane Creek, which form the river proper (Fig. 1) 
Average width at this site was approximately 20 to 25 m. Although the 
Paint Rock is a small stream, the number and kinds of species collected 
are indicative of a larger stream. 
