Does a stickleback have a backbone?

1. Do stickleback fish have spines?
2. Why do sticklebacks have spines?
3. Why do sticklebacks have a special structure?
4. How many spines do sticklebacks have?
5. Do freshwater stickleback have pelvic spines?
6. How do spines protect ocean stickleback fish?
7. Why do sticklebacks have less armor?
8. How are Lake sticklebacks different from Ocean sticklebacks?
9. In which Lake were there more stickleback with pelvic spines?
10. Why are male sticklebacks territorial?
11. What are the stickleback predators?
12. Where are the spines located on a stickleback fish?
13. How many sticklebacks are in a pond?
14. Do sticklebacks have teeth?
15. Is a stickleback a minnow?

Do stickleback fish have spines?

Sticklebacks in marine environments typically have long spines that form part of their skeletal armor. Many derived freshwater populations have evolved shorter spines.

Why do sticklebacks have spines?

The many stickleback populations underwent disparate and parallel evolutionary changes, among them partial or complete loss of their pelvic spines. These spines are thought to protect the fish from being devoured by predators.

Why do sticklebacks have a special structure?

The ancestral complex provides a spiny, robust defense against some vertebrate predators. In addition to the loss of armor in predator-free environments, stickleback can exhibit different behavioral responses to attack than do those from populations where predatory fish are abundant.

How many spines do sticklebacks have?

It is 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) long and has three dorsal spines.

Do freshwater stickleback have pelvic spines?

The same adaptation – a lack of pelvic spines in freshwater stickleback - occurred 10 million years ago. Fossils of fish with a full pelvis were found at higher frequencies at different geologic times than fossils of fish without pelvic spines.

How do spines protect ocean stickleback fish?

Oceanic stickleback are protected by a complete set of bony lateral plates along the sides and dorsal and pelvic spines on the top and bottom of the fish. These structures help the fish survive attacks by birds and other fish-eating predators.

Why do sticklebacks have less armor?

New research shows that when two species of stickleback fish evolved and lost their pelvises and body armor, the changes were caused by different genes in each species. That surprised researchers, who expected the same genes would control the same changes in both related fish.

How are Lake sticklebacks different from Ocean sticklebacks?

One difference is the amount of protective armor that covers their bodies: while oceanic sticklebacks have about 30 armor plates extending from head to tail, most freshwater sticklebacks have just a handful of plates that sit closer to the front of the body. Dr.

In which Lake were there more stickleback with pelvic spines?

Over many generations, stickleback in Bear Paw Lake have lost their pelvic spines, while those in Frog Lake have retained full pelvises. Over many generations the pelvic structures in Bear Paw Lake stickleback have remained the same, and the stickleback in Frog Lake have gained their pelvic spines.

Why are male sticklebacks territorial?

Males defend nesting territories during the summer breeding season and do so exclusively for reproductive purposes.

What are the stickleback predators?

As the threespine stickleback is small, abundant, and a slow swimmer, it serves as a suitable prey for a wide variety of species. Natural predators include fish in the families Percidae, Esocidae, and Salmonidae, as well as avian piscivores such as loons, herons, and kingfishers.

Where are the spines located on a stickleback fish?

The members of the family are characterized by a row of 2 to 16 spines on the back, which are positioned in front of a soft-rayed dorsal fin. They also possess a sharp spine in each of the pelvic fins, a slender caudal peduncle (tail base), a squared tail, large eyes, and an upturned mouth.

How many sticklebacks are in a pond?

The three-spined stickleback is a small fish found in ponds, lakes, ditches and rivers. It is an aggressive predator, feeding on invertebrates and other small animals, including tadpoles and smaller fish. In the spring, the male develops a bright red throat and belly and performs a courtship dance to attract a mate.

Do sticklebacks have teeth?

Stickleback pharyngeal teeth resemble oral teeth morphologically in whole-mount and in histological sections, and molecularly by gene expression patterns.

Is a stickleback a minnow?

Minnows are a species of fish that are usually smaller than 10cm. ... Minnows and sticklebacks are often confused for one another. The major visual differences between these two species is that minnows lack the dorsal spines of sticklebacks.