snail darter

snail darter

noun

Definition of SNAIL DARTER

: a darter (Percina tanasi) of the Tennessee River drainage system of eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia

First Known Use of SNAIL DARTER

1975

Rhymes with SNAIL DARTER

kick-starter, nonstarter, self-starter

snail darter

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Rare species (Percina tanasi) of darter that originally was found only in the Little Tennessee River in the southeastern U.S. It became the subject of a legal controversy in 1978, when its status as an endangered species delayed for two years the construction of Tellico Dam. The situation was resolved when the fish was successfully introduced into the Hiwassee River.