Greenside darter (Etheostoma blennioides) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 9

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Special Significance of the Species

The greenside darter is often abundant where it occurs in Ontario and, as such, it likely plays an important role in converting benthic energy in lotic ecosystems where it serves as prey for piscivorous fishes and other vertebrates. Laboratory work has shown that the greenside darter can serve as a glochidial host for the Rayed Bean (Villosa fabalis), one of Canada’s endangered freshwater mussels (McNichols and Mackie 2003). It has also been shown to serve as a glochidial host for the endangered Cumberlandian Combshell (Epioblasma brevidens) in the United States based on experimental infections (Yeager and Saylor 1995).

The greenside darter is of considerable interest for scientific studies (Scott and Crossman 1973), and has been the subject of significant investigation in both the field and the laboratory. It has no known commercial value, although it might be harvested incidentally as a bait fish. The greenside darter is one of Canada’s most colourful freshwater fishes and, therefore, may be of interest as an aquarium fish.