American flagfish (Jordanella floridae) are the subject of much controversy and differences of opinion among people who have kept them. For those who collect such facts, the genus name Jordanella was erected in honor of David Starr Jordan, the first president of Stanford University, and the species name floridae is a nod to the state of Florida, where these fish are particularly abundant in swamps, canals, ponds and other aquatic habitats, both brackish and freshwater. That’s all pretty straightforward, but what seems to indicate a touch of quirkiness and uniqueness to these creatures is that the species floridae is the sole member of the genus Jordanella.
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