The little Scioto madtom has not been documented since 1957 and was recently
declared extinct by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (credit: Dave Neely, Ohio DNR)
Scioto Madtom Declared Extinct
Source: Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources
A fish so tiny with such a restricted range might seem unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but we should all mourn the extinction of the Scioto madtom because its disappearance reflects the threats and consequences of habitat destruction.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently declared the Scioto madtom, a fish native to Ohio, extinct, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. This small nocturnal species of catfish was formerly found in a small section of Big Darby Creek, a tributary of the Scioto River.
Based on rigorous reviews of the best available science, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined the Scioto madtom no longer warrants listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. The species will be removed from Ohio’s endangered species list as well. Its last known sighting was in 1957.
The Scioto madtom was among the first species added to Ohio’s endangered species list in 1974 and received federal protection a year later. The species was endemic to Ohio, meaning its native range did not extend to other states. The Scioto madtom was known to hide during the day under rocks or in vegetation and emerge after dark to forage along the bottom of the stream. Scientists believe that modification of the fish’s habitat from siltation, industrial pollution and agricultural runoff led to the species’ decline.
This species’ extinction highlights the importance of U.S. and Ohio endangered species protection. This legislation protects and recovers imperiled species and their habitats before population declines become irreversible. Although protections arrived too late for the Scioto madtom, Ohio’s endangered species list helped populations of trumpeter swans, peregrine falcons, bald eagles, river otters, several darter species and others recover.
In addition to the Scioto madtom, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service changed the status of 20 other species to extinct. The 21 species include one mammal, 10 birds, eight mussels and two fish.
