Three-spine Stickleback

Gasterosteus aculeatus

General Status Rank: 
Secure
ELCODE: 
AFCPA03010
Common Name: 
Three-spine Stickleback
Scientific Name: 
Gasterosteus aculeatus
Naming References: 
B011
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Fish
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Actinopterygii
Order: 
Gasterosteiformes
Family: 
Gasterosteidae
References: 
B011
General Biology

Female Age at Maturity

1 year
References: 
B011

Longevity

3 years
References: 
B011

Economic/Human Considerations

fisheries: minor commercial (W017)
References: 
W017
Habitat
adults = in most shallow marine, brackish and fresh water areas spawning = in freshwater on shallow, sandy bottoms. Env: benthopelagic; anadromous; freshwater; brackish; marine ; depth range 0 - 100 m. Clim:temperate; 4-20°C; 71°N -20°N, 125°E - 60°E (W017);
References: 
B011
W017
Distribution

Ecozones

Northern Arctic, Southern Arctic, Taiga Shield, Beaufort Sea Amundsen Gulf, High Arctic Sea Archipelago
References: 
B011
R131

Distribution

Was thought not to be present in NT (B011, B059); In the NT, the Threespine Stickleback is known only from the Kugmallit Bay region, outer Mackenzie Delta areas. This species exhibits lacustrine, riverine, and anadromous life history types. A marine form also exists, and all forms are considered to belong to a diverse species complex (B172)
Score: 
G
References: 
B011
B172
Marine Distribution Description: 
See Distribution

Number of Occurrences

There are in fact a few isolated records of threespine stickleback in the outer Mackenzie Delta area (H180);
Score: 
B
References: 
H180

Area of Occupancy

Score: 
-
Population

Population Size

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.6-1.8; tm=1; tmax=4; Fec=80)(W017) 10.2cm (R131)
Score: 
FH
References: 
R131
W017
Threats

Intrinsic Vulnerability

Score: 
-
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Secure
Status Rank Description: 
There are in fact a few isolated records of threespine stickleback in the outer Mackenzie Delta area. At this point it is unconfirmed whether these represent this species or are mis-identified ninespines (unlikely but still possible). These records and similar ones along the Alaskan north slope are isolated and infrequent occurrences. In view of this, I suggest keeping this species in the list of freshwater fish but indicating that it is likely an infrequently occurring one (H180). Common in NWT marine water according to R131.
S Rank: 
S4
Decision Process Description: 
Drafted by the Arctic Stock Assessment DFO Committee - Freshwater Fishes - Chris Day, Dr. Ross Tallman, Dr. Sue Cosens with review by S. Carriere in 2000; Modified from Not assessed to Vagrant based on new information and reviewed by L Cooper, G Low, Dr Reist in 2005; Should be modified to secure from vagrant as the marine form is common in the NWT marine waters (SC 2009 Based on R131)); Reviewed by DFO in 2010, changed; Reviewed by DFO in 2015, no change; Reviewed by DFO in 2020, no change
Last Updated: 
January 27, 2021

References

Age Of Maturity

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return

Economic Status

  • FishBase (2004) Fish Base, accessed Nov 5, 2004. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2004 www.fishbase.org, version (09/2004) - W017 Return

Ecozones

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • Coad B.W. and Reist J.D. (2004) Annotated List of the Arctic Marine Fishes of Canada.. DFO, Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2674 - R131 Return

Habitat

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • FishBase (2004) Fish Base, accessed Nov 5, 2004. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2004 www.fishbase.org, version (09/2004) - W017 Return

Longevity

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return

Naming

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Sawatzky, C.D., Michalak, D. Reist, J.D. Carmichael, T.J., Mandrak, N.E., Heuring, L.G. (2007) Distributions of freshwater and anadromous fishes from the mainland Northwest Territories, Canada.. Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2793 - B172 Return

Number of Occurrences

  • Lara Cooper (2005) E-mail Changes 2005 NWT re-ranking of fish (16/12/2005). With attached excell file summarising input on NWT Freshwater fishes re-ranking for 2005. Printed in binder - H180 Return

Population Size

Coad B.W. and Reist J.D. (2004) Annotated List of the Arctic Marine Fishes of Canada.. DFO, Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2674 - R131 Return
,
FishBase (2004) Fish Base, accessed Nov 5, 2004. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2004 www.fishbase.org, version (09/2004) - W017 Return

Range Extent

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return
  • Sawatzky, C.D., Michalak, D. Reist, J.D. Carmichael, T.J., Mandrak, N.E., Heuring, L.G. (2007) Distributions of freshwater and anadromous fishes from the mainland Northwest Territories, Canada.. Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2793 - B172 Return

Taxonomy

  • Scott WB and Crossman EJ (1979) Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bryant Press Ltd RWED Library Call #QL626.S3 - B011 Return