snail darter

American  

noun

1. a tan, striped, snail-eating perch, Percina tanasi, 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) long, occurring only in the Tennessee River: a threatened species.

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Etymology

Origin of snail darter

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

It involved the snail darter, a tiny, then-endangered fish whose habitat would have been harmed by the proposed Tellico Dam in Tennessee.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

In the original 1978 snail darter case, the Supreme Court found “an irreconcilable conflict” between operation of the dam and compliance with the act.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 19, 2022

Although the snail darter is the fifth fish species to recover and be removed from the list, some 400 other fish species across the United States remain listed as imperiled.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 12, 2022

In 1978, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the snail darter and conservationists.

From Washington Times • Oct. 5, 2022

Last month, federal wildlife officials announced that the snail darter, a tiny fish first found in the Tennessee River system, had recovered after being transplanted and found in the wild elsewhere.

From Washington Post • Sep. 29, 2021