Classification
Etheostoma zonale, Banded Darter.
The scientific name: Etheostoma , etheo- meaning to filter, stoma- meaning mouth, zonale- meaning banded (Phillips, Schmid, Underhill,1982).
Domain - Eukarya
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Actinopterygii
Order - Perciformes
Family - Percidae
Genus - Etheostoma
Species - Etheostoma zonale
Common name - Banded Darter
The Banded Darter is classified as an Eukaryote because it is an organism made up of cells that contain a membrane bound nucleus with genetic material, as well as membrane mound organelles. This animal is in the Animalia kingdom due to sexual reproduction and a level of organ system organization. The presence of a spinal cord (a single, dorsal, hollow nerve cord), states why the Banded Darter is in phylum Chordata. This species is in a class of ray-finned fish (Actinopterygii), because their fins are supported by bony/horny spines (otherwise know as "rays") (About Marine Life 2013). Etheostoma zonale are found in the order Perciformes since they are a perch-like species which is the most abundant order of fish in the entire world. Species in this order can be found in all different aquatic environments such as freshwater and marine bodies of water (Encyclopedia of Life 2013). The Banded Darter is part of the family Percidae which is distinguished by having two divided regions of the dorsal fin and less than two anal fin spines (Inland Fishes of New York 2006). The genus of this species, Etheostoma, is characterized by being a smaller fish that lives in freshwater environments. The common name of each species in this genus contains the word "darter," and they are known to release warning chemicals (iNaturalist 2013). Finally, the species Etheostoma zonale, is a combination of the species being a small freshwater fish, "darter", by the word Etheostoma, and it being banded which is represented by the word zonale (Phillips, Schmid, Underhill,1982). Therefore, the common name of the Etheostoma zonale is Banded Darter.