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Three-spined Stickleback

Fish

A small fish found through much of the Northern Hemisphere, from California to Alaska and Chesapeake Bay to Baffin Island in North America, across Europe, and through Asia to the Bering Strait. It typically reaches only three to four centimeters, has a laterally compressed, scaleless body armored with bony plates, and three spines in front of the dorsal fin; breeding males develop bright red throats and bellies with blue eyes. It lives in fresh, brackish or salt water, favoring slow-flowing vegetated habitats such as ditches, ponds and sheltered bays. It is known for elaborate breeding behavior in which the male builds a nest from plant material and a self-produced substance called spiggin, courts a female, and fans the eggs to keep them oxygenated.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Parasitic 1
System (Realm)
Freshwater 2
System (Realm)
Marine 2
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 3
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
G5 Secure 4
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 5
Scientific Name
Gasterosteus aculeatus 1
Conservation Status
Least Concern 6
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Source Three-spined stickleback (Wikidata)

In Biome

Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Gasterosteus aculeatus
Lake, Biomes
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Gasterosteus aculeatus
Open Ocean, Biomes
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Gasterosteus aculeatus
River, Biomes
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Gasterosteus aculeatus
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Three-spined stickleback (Wikidata)
Wikidata
  • Wikidata Q203572 (P225 taxon name)
  • Introduction
  • Statements section, conservation status (P141)
    IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
  • Child Taxon Of: Gasterosteiformes, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
3. FishBase: Gasterosteus aculeatus (FishBase)
FishBaseHuman uses
Quote, Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: public aquariums
View the Source
4. NatureServe Explorer: Gasterosteus aculeatus
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G5"
View the Source
5. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Gasterosteus aculeatus
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
  • Conservation Status: CITES
    CITES No special status
  • In Biome: Lake, Habitat Regions, biome: lakes and ponds
    lakes and ponds
  • In Biome: River, Habitat Regions, biome: rivers and streams
    rivers and streams
  • In Biome: Intertidal Zone, Habitat Regions, biome: intertidal or littoral
    intertidal or littoral intertidal or littoral
  • In Biome: Open Ocean, Habitat Regions, biome: pelagic
    pelagic pelagic
View the Source
6. Wikipedia: Three-spined Stickleback
WikipediaInfobox: status
Quote, Infobox: status
LC
View the Source
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