Threespine Stickleback
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Name and Code Family Gasterosteidae - sticklebacks Species Gasterosteus aculeatus Taxonomic Authority Linnaeus 1758 Common Name(s) Threespine Stickleback French Name épinoche à trois épines Species Code 282 Family TSN 166363 Parent TSN 166364 Species TSN 166365 Conservation Status Global Rank (GRank) G5 (2017-12-27) National Rank (NRank) N5B, N5N, N5M (2017-12-27) Provincial Rank (SRank) S4S5 (2019-10-30) COSEWIC Status none SARO Status none AFS Status none Status Notes none Ecological Value Ontario Origin native/introduced General Abundance common Tolerance intermediate Economic Importance forage fish Length-Weight Regression Coefficents Intercept (a) -3.5715 Slope (b) 2.0308 Length Basis TL				Habitat and Feeding General Habitat(s) lacustrine; riverine; estuarine; marine Environment benthopelagic Trophic Class invertivore Thermal Regime coolwater Habitat Preference shallow vegetated areas of creeks and rivers, protected bays of lakes with mud or sand bottom, and coastal marine/estuarine environments; preferred water temperature range 9-12°C Reproduction Reproductive Guild Guarders: Nest spawners: Ariadnophils Spawning Habitat(s) lacustrine; riverine Spawning Season spring-summer Spawning Month(s) May-July Spawning Temperature (°C) 10-22 Fecundity 41-885 Nursery Habitat(s) lacustrine; riverine Size and Age Adult Length (cm) 5.5-7.6 TL Adult Weight (kg) 0.0011-0.0024 Age at Maturity (yrs) 1 Maximum Length (cm) 10.4 TL Maximum Weight (kg) 0.00638 Lifespan (yrs) 1-3? Ontario Records Record Length (cm) 7.5 TL Record Weight (kg) none				Ontario Range Map Ontario Distribution native to Hudson and James Bay tributaries, Ottawa River, St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario; introduced with ballast water to the upper Great Lakes Photographs Notes marine and lake fish can be pelagic; coastal populations are anadromous; moderately intolerant of turbidity
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