in the southeastern United States. E. barrenense is considered a species that warrants protection in Tennessee, but not throughout its range. Geographic extent, habitat specificity (the number of habitat types in which a species is known to exist), and local population size are good criteria to use as a basis for species rarity, and according to these three dimensions, the splendid darter is extremely rare. This characteristic alone is enough to warrant protection of the species, yet no management practices are in place specific to the conservation of the splendid darter. In addition to its rarity, several other factors have the potential to contribute to a decline in splendid darter abundance. These include, but are not limited to, hybridization with closely related species, habitat destruction or modification, and the threat of invasive species. An estimated 10,000 individuals of E. barrenense exist across its native range in Kentucky and Tennessee. References Further reading Etheostoma Taxa named by Brooks M. Burr Taxa named by Lawrence M. Page Fish described in 1982 Barren River