sticklebacks
Small armored fish
Sticklebacks are small freshwater and coastal fish with sharp spines along their backs.
Found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, they're known for elaborate mating rituals—males build nests and display bright colors to attract females.
Their adaptability to different environments has made them important subjects in evolutionary biology research.
Seeking another's romantic favor
- nest-buildingCreating a dwelling for offspring
- breedingReproductive cultivation of organisms
- spawningReleasing eggs to reproduce
- territorialDefensive about owned space
display · aggression · male · fertilization · eggs · fanning · gluing · reproduction
Of the back
- armorProtective combat covering
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
- protectionGuarding against harm
- sharpFine-edged, or astute
Plates or weighing devices
- finsSwimming appendages
- gillsAquatic respiratory organs
- swimMove through water
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
vertebrate · cold-blooded · aquatic · shoal · ichthyology · predator · prey · biodiversity
Small still body
- streamSteady continuous flow
- riverLarge flowing watercourse
- lakeEnclosed body of freshwater
- estuaryTidal mixing zone
brackish · coastal · freshwater · saltwater · watershed · riparian · sediment · ditch
Species changing over generations
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- speciationFormation of distinct species
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
- phenotypeObservable characteristics of organism
morphology · Darwin · hybridization · genomics · laboratory
courtship
Seeking another's romantic favor
- nest-buildingCreating a dwelling for offspring
- breedingReproductive cultivation of organisms
- spawningReleasing eggs to reproduce
territorial · display · aggression · male · fertilization · eggs · fanning · gluing · reproduction · offspring
dorsal
Of the back
- armorProtective combat covering
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
- protectionGuarding against harm
scales
Plates or weighing devices
species · vertebrate · cold-blooded · aquatic · shoal · ichthyology · predator · prey · biodiversity · ecosystem
pond
Small still body
estuary · brackish · coastal · freshwater · saltwater · watershed · riparian · sediment · ditch · marsh
evolution
Species changing over generations
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- speciationFormation of distinct species
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
phenotype · morphology · Darwin · hybridization · genomics · laboratory
sticklebacksswordfish
Fish with blade-like bill
sturgeon · ocean sunfish · tarpon · whale shark · whale sharks
sticklebackstropical fish
Warm-water ornamental species
clownfish · angelfish · parrotfish · discus · coral reef fish