| Stickleback, unarmored threespine | |||
| Genus | Gasterosteus | ||
| Species | aculeatus | ||
| Subspecies | williamsoni | ||
| Status | Endangered | ||
| Distribution | USA (California) | ||
| Appearance | The threespine stickleback has greenish sides with a mottled pattern. Its belly is silvery, with a light pink tinge. In the spring, the sides become a metallic blue color, and the throat and belly regions are bright red. Females have silver-colored bellies and are built more heavily. | ||
| Breeding | The unarmored threespine stickleback belongs to a group of fishes which fashion a nest for their eggs and young. It will use bits of plants, twigs, and other debris and weave them together, forming a nest attached to plants beneath the surface. A "glue" of mucous secretion is added to hold the structure together. There is a tunnel that forms an opening at each end. When the mother or father fish is in it, the head will stick out one end and the tail the other. The male provides parental attention, attacking anything and everything that threatens the safety of his young. | ||
| Animal Communication Panel | |||
