small (2-4 inches) pugnacious mostly scaleless spiny-backed fishes of northern fresh and littoral waters having elaborate courtship; subjects of much research
Similar principles underlie the evolution of new body forms in completely wild populations of stickleback fish. 从完全野生的族群演化出新体形的棘鱼，也是透过类似的原则。
British researchers studying the behavior of tiny stickleback fish have found that they are much more willing to take risks in search of food in pairs than alone. 英国研究者通过研究小棘鱼的行为发现比起自己一个人他们更愿意冒险与伙伴一起外出觅食。
