Sticklebacks & a newt

Yesterday evening, me and Steve went for a wander to Peasholm park in order to net some sticklebacks. This went well, and within mere minutes we had caught about a dozen three-spined sticklebacks.

Three-spined stickleback. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) are interesting little beasties. They are found in most bodies of freshwater, and are hugely variable in morphology. In the UK three species of stickleback can be found. These are the three-spined stickleback, the ten-spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) and the fifteen-spined stickleback (Spinachia spinachia). The ten-spined stickleback is found mainly in the south of England, and the fifteen-spined stickleback is actually a completely marine species that can be found all around the coasts of the British Isles. It can grow up to 15cm long. (Despite it being found 'all around the coast' I have never seen one, so perhaps 'all around the coast' except for Scarborough?)

The three-spined stickleback can also be found in marine environments, as some populations migrate out to sea, and only come inshore to breed.

These three sticklebacks are in the Family Gasterosteidae, and the Order Gasterosteiformes, which also contains the sand eels, the pipefish, and the seahorses. Notice that none of these species have true scales, instead they generally have bony plates which enclose the body.

Snake pipefish. Photo courtesy of SJV.

(I must one day tell you about the species pairs of three-spined sticklebacks that are found in North America)

Also whilst sweeping the net through the murky water, I accidently caught a newt. Unfortunately it was too dark to take a picture, but I can assure you that it was a smooth newt, the commonest newt in the British Isles. I like newts because of their lizard-like appearance, and I have seen two of the three native British species (smooth and palmate). I have yet to see a great-crested newt, but one day I hopefully will.

Smooth newt. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

In addition to the three native species of newt, we also have two introduced species, the Italian crested newt, and the Alpine newt, but I will talk about these another day.

Bye now!