These spots contrast against a light background that ranges from pale olive on the back to yellowish-olive on the underside.

From May to February, leopard darters prefer small, noisy pools with a rubble and boulder substrate.

Historically, the leopard darter was limited to upland, large stream habitats of the Little River drainage in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The greatest threat to the survival of the species is the loss of habitat due to the construction of reservoirs.

Logging activity, agricultural and industrial runoff, and gravel removal all pose threats as well.