Techirghiol stickleback

The Techirghiol stickleback ( Gasterosteus crenobiontus ) is an extinct species of the family of sticklebacks. Its distribution area were freshwater springs near Techirghiol Lake on the Romanian side of the Black Sea. The taxon was originally considered as a subspecies of the three-spined stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ).

Features

The Techirghiol stickleback reached a standard length of 65 millimeters. The body and the caudal peduncle there were 13 to 17 bone plates. Above the anal-fin base lacked the bone plates. The rear edge of the bone plates was smooth. On the caudal peduncle, the bone plates formed a lateral keel.

Way of life

The spawning period was from February to October. Nothing more is known about the lifestyle.

Extinction

The Techirghiol stickleback was last detected in the 1960s. Despite intensive searches, most recently in 1998, the taxon was not found again. Possible Aussterbeursache hybridization is assumed to be the three-spined stickleback. The occurrence of Techirghiol stickleback and the three-spined stickleback were originally separated by the Techirghiol Lake. After irrigation schemes in the 1960s, the once extremely salty Techirghiol Lake was transformed into a brackish lake, through which the three-spined sticklebacks were able to penetrate into the circulation area of ​​the Techirghiol stickleback.