The stripetail darter (Etheostoma kennicotti) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the eastern United States. It is found in small rivers and streams in the states of Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Males are a golden-orange color with black barring on the fins, and grow to a length of about . This fish feeds on midge larvae and other small invertebrates. It breeds in the spring; eggs are attached to the substrate, often under slab rocks, where they are guarded by the male. The population trend of this fish seems to be stable and it is a common species with numerous sub-populations over a wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". Description The stripetail darter males are golden orange and as adults can grow up to long. It also has black bands present on the caudal fins and soft dorsal fins. Distribution and habitat The stripetail darter is a small, benthic freshwater fish that inhabits river tributaries. Historic or native geographic range of the stripetail darter is likely similar to its current range. Currently, the stripetail darter inhabits tributaries of the Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, and Paint Rock river systems. The Green River drainage in Kentucky also contains a population of stripetail darters. The Paint Rock river system and Ohio River systems hold the largest populations of the species and it is less common throughout the Tennessee River system. The stripetail darter inhabits states including Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. The stripetail darter's distribution is typically spotty throughout its range with multiple subpopulations; however, the species is still abundant overall. Page and Smith discovered that the species also varies slightly depending on where the subpopulation of the species occurs. This isolation of the populations could be due to climate effects such as low temperatures and low water levels. The current estimated population is over 10,000 individuals through the range of this fish. The population is stable. Ecology The diet of the stripetail darter includes mayflies, fishflies, midge larvae, isopods, stoneflies, and cladocerans. Stripetail darters are able to live in a wide range of pH levels and water temperatures. Typically these darters also live in slab pools in streams