Classification

Domain-Eukarya 
    Kingdom-Animalia
        Phylum-Craniata
            Class-Actinopterygii
                Order-Perciformes
                    Family-Percidae
                       Subfamily-Etheostomatinae
                            Genus-Etheostoma
                                Species-Etheostoma asprigene

Domain Eukarya: This domain contains organisms with a nucleus and membrane bound organelles. (Hickman et. al., 2009)
Kingdom Animalia: This kingdom consists of eukaryotic, multicellular, heterotrophic organisms. (Hickman et. al., 2009)
Phylum Craniata: Craniata comes from the greek word cranio meaning head/skull. This phylum consists of animals with an anterior brain encased within a cranium made up of bone or cartilage. (Holt and Iudica, 2012)
Class Actiopterygii: Actiopterygii is the class given to the "ray-finned" fish. This phylum consists of fish with tails supported by boney spines. (Holt and Iudica, 2012)
Order Perciformes: Perciformes translates to mean "perch-like" (Froese and Bially).
Family Percidae: Percidea translates to mean "perches". This group is defined as having two dorsal fins, the first of which has 1 to 2 anal spines. (Holt and Iudica, 2012)
Subfamily Etheostomatinae: This subfamily contains all of the darters. They are defined by their well developed anal spines and a reduced swim bladder. (Holt and Iudica, 2012)
Genus Etheostoma: Etheostoma translates from Greek to mean "to strain the mouth." (Foese and Bially). This genus is known as the smoothbelly darters.(Encyclopedia of Life, 2013). It is made up of about 150 species, most occurring  in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. (Lang and Mayden, 2007).
Species asprigene: Asprigene comes from the words aspri which translates to rough, and gene which translates to mean cheek. This refers to the well defined and rough scaled cheeks on the mud darter. (Frose and Bially).

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