Skip to main content
Log in

Morphological characteristics of an introduced threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, from Hasse Lake, Alberta: a first occurrence in the interior plains of North America

  • Full paper
  • Published:
Environmental Biology of Fishes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Synopsis

Threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, are thought to have been introduced into Hasse Lake, Alberta, where they were discovered in 1980. The population has grown in numbers since 1980 and by 1981 was more abundant than the native brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans. This population is the first to be found in the interior plains of North America, and it occurs at a higher elevation than any other Canadian population. The source of this introduced population is unknown. Significant differences among four years were found in several meristic and morphometric characters but no significant trends during 1980–1983 were found. Most characters were well within the range of other populations of the species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References cited

  • Bell, M.A. 1982. Melanism in a high elevation population of Gasterosteus aculeatus. Copeia 1982: 829–835.

  • Bell, M.A. 1984. Evolutionary phenetics and genetics: the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, and related species. pp. 431–528. In: B.J. Turner (ed.) Evolutionary Genetics of Fishes, Plenum Publishing Corporation, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coad, B.E. 1983. Plate morphs in freshwater samples of Gasterosteus aculeatus from Arctic and Atlantic Canada: complementary comments on a recent contribution. Can. J. Zool. 61: 1174–1177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coad, B.W. & G. Power. 1974. Meristic variation in the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, in the Matamek River system, Quebec. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 31: 1155–1157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilhen, J. & E. Claridge. 1985. Additional records of the brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans, from Nova Scotia. Can. Field-Nat. 99: 107–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagen, D.W., & L.G. Gilbertson. 1972. Geographic variation and environmental selection in Gasterosteus aculeatus L. in the Pacific Northwest America. Evolution 26: 32–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagen, D.W. & G.E.E. Moodie. 1982. Polymorphism for plate morphs in Gasterosteus aculeatus on the east coast of Canada and an hypothesis for their global distribution. Can. J. Zool. 60: 1032–1042.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, R.R. & C.L. Hubbs. 1969. Systematics of Gasterosteus aculeatus, with particular reference to intergradation and introgression along the Pacific coast of North America: a commentary on a recent contribution. Copeia 1969: 52–69.

  • Moodie, G.E.E. & T.E. Reimchen. 1976. Phenetic variation and habitat differences in Gasterosteus populations of the Queen Charlotte Islands. Syst. Zool. 25: 49–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, J.S. 1977. Evidence of a genetic basis for absence of the pelvic skeleton in brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans, and notes on the geographical distribution and origin of the loss. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 34: 1314–1320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, J.S. 1978. Review of ‘The biology of sticklebacks’. Copeia 1978: 552–554.

  • Prepas, E.E. 1983. Orthophosphate turnover time in shallow productive lakes. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 40: 1412–1418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reimchen, T.E. 1980. Spine deficiency and polymorphism in a population of Gasterosteus aculeatus: an adaptation to predators? Can. J. Zool. 58: 1232–1244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reimchen, T.E. 1983. Structural relationships between spines and lateral plates in threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Evolution 37: 931–946.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wootton, R.J. 1984. A functional biology of sticklebacks. University of California Press, Berkeley. 265 pp.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nelson, J.S., Harris, M.A. Morphological characteristics of an introduced threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, from Hasse Lake, Alberta: a first occurrence in the interior plains of North America. Environ Biol Fish 18, 173–181 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00000357

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00000357

Keywords

Navigation