Tangerine darter
(Percina aurantiaca)

The tangerine darter or river slick (Percina aurantiaca) is a small species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is found in the eastern United States.

It grows to a length of 4.3 to 7.1 inches (11 to 18 cm).

Males are bright orange-red, while females are yellow.

It is insectivorous, picking insect larvae off aquatic plants and the riverbed, and sometimes rolling small stones over to expose prey.

It breeds in late spring and early summer, typically in shallow sandy or gravelly riffles.

Pollution and habitat degradation may be a problem in parts of its range, however it is a fairly common fish with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified its conservation status as being of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"least concern\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".

They are a fairly common species; however, their range is limited to clear, cool streams of the southern Appalachian Mountains. The tangerine darter is found throughout mountainous regions of the upper Tennessee River drainage. It resides in smaller rivers and is most common in the Emory, Hiwassee, Little, Little Pigeon, and Tellico rivers.

It is found in eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia, and western North Carolina, and Virginia. In Georgia and North Carolina, it is listed as a historic species in need of management.