134 
D. A. Cincotta and M. E. Hoeft 
per. comm.; Illinois, Smith 1979; Indiana, Gerking 1945; Kentucky, 
Burr 1980; Ohio, Trautman 1981). Apparently the last collection from 
the basin was in 1939 from the Cumberland River drainage of Tennes- 
see (UMMZ 125780, 125159; D. A. Etnier, pers. comm.). Its occurrence 
in West Virginia represents an addition to the state ichthyofauna 
(Denoncourt et. al. 1975, Cincotta et al. 1986). 
The specimen was taken adjacent to a submerged log in a sandy 
run at a depth of ca. 150 cm. The river width was about 30 m, and the 
substrate was estimated to contain 25% rubble, 50% gravel, 20% sand, 
and 5% silt. Water quality values recorded during this effort were pH 
6.5, Fe 0.2mg/l, alkalinity 15mg/l as CaC03, hardness 8.0mg/ 1 as 
CaC03, conductivity 87 micromhos /cm, and water temperature 25C. 
Water clarity of the river was considered excellent (1.52 m Secchi dish 
reading). Although Steele and McCoy (1980) indicated that the water 
quality of the Elk River sub-basin is generally good, the area where the 
specimen was collected is often reported for violations of state standards 
for organic phenols and total coliform concentrations. Species collected 
concurrently with the crystal darter were Notropis atherinoides, Hybop- 
sis dissimilis, Hypentelium nigricans, Moxostoma anisurum, M. ery- 
thrurum, M. macrolepidotum, Ictiobus sp., Ictalurus punctatus, Notu- 
rus flavus, Pylodictis olivaris, Micropterus punctulatus, Lepomis 
macrochirus, Etheostoma blennioides, E. zonale, Percina caprodes, P. 
sciera, Stizostedion canadense, S. vitreum, and Aplodinotus grunniens. 
The survey site was resampled by Hoeft at night in the same 
manner and season in 1981 and 1983, but no additional specimens were 
taken. It is interesting to note that the species was also not captured in 
daytime surveys conducted by WVWR personnel in the subject area 
during 1978, 1979, and 1984. The absence of A. asprella in past collec- 
tions within the state is attributed to the lack of sampling in large rivers 
under ideal conditions (low, clear flows) and its general rarity. The type 
of collecting gear used and time of day sampling occurred may also 
have contributed to its past omission, because electrofishing equipment 
is not particularly efficient for collecting darters (pers. obs.) and this 
species is apparently more active at night (J. D. Williams, pers. comm.). 
The crystal darter was described in 1878 by D. S. Jordan from a 
small, rocky tributary of the Mississippi River, Hancock County, Illi- 
nois (Page 1980). No systematic review is available for this distinctive 
percid, which is regarded by some investigators (e.g., Moore in Blair et 
al. 1968) as constituting the monotypic genus Crystallaria. J. D. Wil- 
liams (pers. comm.; in Smith 1979) believes that the species as presently 
recognized may actually represent more than one subspecies or species. 
The diagnostic characters of our specimen are within those reported by 
Page (1983). 
