Pa. (WTAJ) — A Penn State University research team is sharing new findings about a rare darter fish that they believe only lives in the Susquehanna River.

It’s called the Chesapeake logperch, or Percina bimaculata. Distinguished Professor of Ichthyology, Jay Stauffer Jr., said this species also used to live in the Potomac River but hasn’t been seen there since the late 1930s.

Research to determine that the fish was one-of-a-kind was funded in part through almost $500,000 in grants from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Wild Resources Fund. The team’s work included reintroducing the fish into their native habitat.

“We did this by trans-locating specimen as well as culturing and releasing specimen,” Stauffer Jr. said. “We tagged all the fish that were released that we could find. Fish that aren’t tagged we know that they’re there because of natural reproduction.”

Stauffer Jr. said the fish are considered endangered in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The team was prompted to begin the four-year study due to threats that the fish could be recognized as federally endangered.

“If they go extinct, then that information is lost and is lost forever,” Stauffer Jr. said. “You can’t put a value on information that is lost and unique, because once we lose it, extinction is forever and those aren’t coming back again.”

The study led team members underwater for snorkel surveys in sections of the lower Susquehanna River and other tributaries where they compared the Chesapeake logperch to other species.

Stauffer Jr. said the fish are becoming more threatened by invasive species. Due to the endangered status in the commonwealth, he said there are some things anglers should know if they see one to keep them safe.

“When fishermen move live fish across state lines…they are breaking the law,” Stauffer Jr. said. “The danger of moving invasive species, especially invasive species that are predators, educate them on the impact that invasive species have on the native fish.”