Range and Identity
Pungitius pungitius has a broad northern distribution, but closely related sticklebacks complicate some regional comparisons. A northern locality or a count suggested by the common name is not enough on its own. Preserve the actual specimen details when comparing distant populations.
Habitat and Behavior
Freshwater records include slow water with vegetation, and coastal populations also occur. This combination makes salinity and the connection between a site and the sea useful information. A fish observed in fresh water need not represent the full range of conditions used by the species.
Food and Life History
Small aquatic invertebrates, insect larvae and fish eggs or larvae are among recorded foods. Males construct nests from plant material and guard and aerate developing eggs. The maximum reference is nine centimeters total length, with no maximum weight inferred from that small body length.
Field Note
Record nesting behavior without assuming every vegetated patch contains a nest. Direct observations of a male and its structure provide stronger evidence than habitat alone.
All Lakes With Ninespine Stickleback
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed Ninespine Stickleback records in our database, listed alphabetically.
Showing 1–24 of 24 lakes · Page 1 of 1
- Benson Lake Cook, MN
- Birch Lake Cass, MI
- Burt Lake Cheboygan, MI
- Cass Lake Cass, MN
- Dead Coon Lake Lincoln, MN
- Elk Lake Antrim, MI
- Feniak Lake North Slope, AK
- Gull Lake Kalamazoo, MI
- Hatchet Lake Keweenaw, MI
- Higgins Lake Roscommon, MI
- Iniakuk Lake Yukon-Koyukuk, AK
- Kabetogama Lake St. Louis, MN
- Lake Huron Alcona, MI
- Lake Michigan Mason, IL
- Lake Michigan Lake, IN
- Lake of the Woods Lake of the Woods, MN
- Lake Superior Keweenaw, MI
- Locke Lake Wright, MN
- Nutuvukti Lake Northwest Arctic, AK
- Rainy Lake Koochiching, MN
- Telaquana Lake Bethel, AK
- Tofte Lake Lake, MN
- Upper Gull Lake Cass, MN
- Vermilion Lake St. Louis, MN