Author: Williams & Neely, 2007
FBname: Bankhead darter
Comments: Ramsey (1976) published the first conservation status review of <i>Percina sipsi</i> and reported it to be a threatened species. Although the assigned conservation status category has varied in subsequent evaluations (Deacon et al. 1979; Ramsey 1984; Williams et al. 1989; Warren et al. 2000), all authors considered the Bankhead Darter’s continued existence to be in a precarious situation. In the most recent assessment of conservation status of Alabama wildlife, Kuhajda (2004) reported it as a species of highest conservation concern. The entire range of this species is in the Bankhead National Forest, providing some level of protection. the authors consider <i>P. sipsi</i> to be highly endangered based on its restricted distribution, rarity within the occupied range, habitat vulnerability, and absence of downstream habitat for future recovery. <i>Percina sipsi</i> is extremely vulnerable and needs continuous monitoring and proactive management actions to prevent extinction (Ref. 58738).