and headwaters, as well as creeks and small slow-flowing rivers with rocky substrate and rubble, in riffles, under stones and under overhanging banks in pools; it often occurs among emergent vegetation. Life history The breeding season for the stripetail darter in lower Ohio River tributaries begins in late March to early April and continues until late May. Stripetails breed in water between . Stripetail darter eggs are small, between in diameter, spherical and adhesive. The eggs are usually laid under slabrocks in medium-sized or smaller streams that feed into larger bodies of water. The slabrocks provide shelter and protection for the eggs and allow males to guard them more efficiently. The stripetail also prefers overhanging vegetation to be present near the spawning sites and gravel or sandy bottoms. The stripetail darter lays anywhere from 50 to 400 eggs at a time. Newly hatched stripetail darters are typically around in length and have fully developed pectoral fins with 12 incipient rays. Stripetails reach sexual maturity one year after birth. The maximum lifespan of this fish is 3 years. Conservation As of 2013, there are no management plans in place specifically aimed at the conservation of the stripetail darter. They are not listed on the endangered species list and their populations are considered stable. It is estimated that over 10,000 are alive in the wild today and this number is high enough for sustainability. Taxonomy and etymology The stripetail darter was first formally described as Catonotus kennicotti in 1863 by the American zoologist Frederic Ward Putnam (1839-1914). The specific name honors the collector of the type, Mr R. Kennicott. References Etheostoma Fish described in 1863