Gasterosteus aculeatus (Three-spined Stickleback)
This is a common and widely distributed species within the UK but spineless forms are considered to be of any conservation value. Spineless stickleback morphs are located in two SSSI's in Scotland, Loch Ruthven (East Highland) and Loch Druidibeg (South Uist).
Additional Information
FishBase Fact File
The ubiquitous nature of three-spine sticklebacks within the British Isles has meant that common forms have received no conservation status. Only those fish which display some degree of ecological or genetic divergence, such as the spineless morphotypes are considered to be of any conservation value. Spineless stickleback morphs are Foundin two SSSI's in Scotland, Loch Ruthven (East Highland) and Loch Druidibeg (Western Isles) - but not as designated features of these sites.
The British spineless stickleback morphs are referred to as 'anomalous'. These fish have no pelvic spines, a varying number of dorsal spines and often no pelvic girdle.
Sticklebacks within the 'anomolous' clade occur in: Southern and Northern extremes of the European distribution of the species; Pacific north west coast of the USA, on certain offshore islands of British Colombia Central and Southern California.
Within the British Isles, the distribution of spineless sticklebacks populations are restricted to the Western Isles and Northern Scotland.
Common in estuaries and coastal lagoons around Britain and Ireland, and in fully marine conditions from the northern Irish Sea and North Sea northwards.
