Rare fish found in Ohio waters for the first time since 1939

Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Wildlife officials in Ohio said a rare fish believed to have been extinct in the state has been found in local waters for the first time since 1939.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife said in a Facebook post that two longhead darters were caught by fish management crews conducting electrofishing bass surveys in the Ohio River, marking the first time the species has been documented in Ohio in more than 80 years.

"This striking creature, native to Ohio, was thought to be extirpated from the state," the post said, using a term that means "locally extinct."

"Fortunately for the longhead darter and for those of us concerned, this species is not extirpated in the Buckeye State," the division wrote.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's website states there is "little historical information" on longhead darter populations in the United States.

"Throughout its range, this fish is uncommon and the American Fisheries Society lists the longhead darter as threatened in all states where it occurs," the website says.