The Family Percidae contains both darters and perches.
Most darters are less than four inches long.
Among North American freshwater fishes, however, the darters are second only to minnows in numbers of species and abundance. The orangethroat darter, Etheostoma spectabile, is perhaps one of Illinois' most notable examples. The orangethroat darter is approximately three inches in length. Its bright orange throat provides the common name. The female is a dull, neutral olive with tinges of blue and orange.