Pungitius laevis

Pungitius laevis
File:Pungitius laevis.jpg
Conservation status
Least Concern Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Gasterosteidae
Genus:	Pungitius
Species:	P. laevis
Binomial name
Pungitius laevis G. Cuvier, 1829
Synonyms
Pygosteus pungitius subsp. hologymna Pungitius vulgaris Gasterosteus laevis Gasterosteus breviceps Blanchard, 1866 Blanchard, 1866 Cuvier, 1829 Bertin, 1925 Gasterosteus lotharingus Gasterosteus globiceps Blanchard, 1866 (Mauduyt, 1848) Gasterosteus burgundianus Sauvage, 1874 Mauduyt, 1848 Gasterosteus vulgaris

Pungitius laevis, commonly known as smoothtail ninespine stickleback, is a species of freshwater fish of the family Gasterosteidae. It is distributed in temperate brackish benthopelagic waters of coastal western Europe.

Taxonomy

Pungitius laevis was first formally described as Gasterosteus laevis in 1829 by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with its type locality given as the basin of the Seine at Bobigny. This taxon has been considered to be conspecific with the ninespine stickleback (P. pungitius), sometimes treated as a western European subspecies of that holarctic species. The specific name, laevis, means "smooth" and allusion to the lack of scutes on the caudal peduncle.

Description

Pungitius laevis have a concave snout head shape, truncate caudal fin, and elongated body shape. It has a total of nine dorsal spines and 10-11 pectoral fin rays. Adults typically have a coloration of bright green with darker green tints which are covered by black blotches. This species has a maximum published standard length of 8 cm (3.1 in).

Distribution and habitat

Pungitius laevis is found in western Europe in Ireland, southern Great Britain and from the Netherlands to the Garonne in France where it is found in densely vegetated shallow, still waters. It is a benthopelagic species which is found in fresh, brackish and marine waters.

Biology

Adult specimen prefer still, densely vegetated shallow water where they have access to zooplankton, benthic insects, and small crustaceans.

Reproduction

Breeding season lasts from April to June, with males being responsible for nesting and guarding the eggs before they hatch. Nests are usually built by vegetation, and eggs usually take around 10 to 20 days to hatch. Males die at the end of breeding season.