''Apeltes'' is a

monospecific genus In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

old ray-finned fish belonging to the family

Gasterosteidae Families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of socie ...

, the sticklebacks. The only species in the genus is ''Apeltes quadracus'', the fourspine stickleback or bloody stickleback, which lives in

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...

, brackish and benthopelagic environments of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean between

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

and South Carolina.

Appearance

Four species of stickleback (Gasterosteidae)

The fourspine stickleback is the smallest member of the family

. It generally has either four or five dorsal spines but may have as many as seven. It has an elongated

fusiform Fusiform means having a spindle-like shape that is wide in the middle and tapers at both ends. It is similar to the lemon-shape, but often implies a focal broadening of a structure that continues from one or both ends, such as an aneurysm on a b ...

body that is spotted brown to olive green except for the underside. Its belly is silvery white. Males tend to be dark than females and develop red pelvic spines. The first three dorsal spines are close together and stick out at acute angles, each with their own triangular membrane. The fourth spine is straight and associated with the dorsal fin. Its lateral line ends blow the origin of the second dorsal fin. Its pelvic fins sit almost right below the pectoral fins in the thoracic region. The species does not have scales. They can grow 5 to 6 centimeters in length, but they usually grow to be about 4 centimeters.

Occurrence

The species is found from

and Quebec southward to North Carolina, living close to the freshwater shores in well-vegetated areas. It has been introduced to a few freshwater bodies in Pennsylvania, Alabama, New Jersey, and in Lake Superior.

Ecology

Fourspine sticklebacks are largely solitary, spending most of their time near the bottom of lakes. Their diet consists of microscopic invertebrates and plankton. Fourspine stickleback generally breed at one year of age, though some individuals may survive to breed at age two. Their breeding season lasts from April until late July, often breeding at the same time and location as three other stickleback species ( threespine, ninespine, and blackspotted stickleback). Males establish territories and construct nests out of vegetation either on the bottom or on underwater structures, and may construct as many as five nests stacked in a tiered effect. Once he has attracted a female and fertilized her eggs, the male will watch over the nest until the eggs hatch. Females may produce several clutches of eggs per year.Wootton, R. J. (1984). A functional biology of sticklebacks. University of California Press.

References

External links

GMA - ''Apeltes quadracus''

NAS - ''Apeltes quadracus''

Fishbase.org - ''Apeltes quadracus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1327089, from2=Q19760858 Gasterosteidae Monotypic fish genera Fish of North America Fish of the Great Lakes