Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5728 No. 1: 9 Dec. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-12-09
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5728.1.5
Page range: 144-162
Abstract views: 223
PDF downloaded: 13

Redescription of the Chinese ninespine stickleback, Pungitius sinensis (Guichenot 1869) (Gasterosteiformes, Gasterosteidae)

Kagoshima University Museum; 1-21-30 Korimoto; Kagoshima 890-0065; Japan.
Division of Fishes; National Museum of Nature and Science; 4-1-1 Amakubo; Tsukuba; Ibaraki 305-0005; Japan.
Faculty of Science; Yamagata University; 1-4-12 Kojirakawa-machi; Yamagata; 990-8560; Japan.
Pisces Teleostei freshwater fish morphology northeast Asia

Abstract

The Chinese ninespine stickleback, Pungitius sinensis (Guichenot 1869) is redescribed, based on seven syntypes and 368 non-type specimens from various localities in the Far East. Pungitius sinensis is distinguished from all its congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays usually IX + 10 or 11; anal-fin rays usually I + 9 or 10; pectoral-fin rays usually 10; pelvic-fin rays I + 1 or 2; upper and lower procurrent caudal-fin rays usually 5 each, 10 in total; lateral plates arranged in a full or incomplete row, forming a distinct keel on side of caudal peduncle; usually 7 ventral plates on caudal peduncle; vertebrae usually 34 (15 abdominal + 19 caudal vertebrae); dorsal-fin spines inclining alternately to sides of mid-line; first dorsal-fin spine located anterodorsally to upper end of pectoral-fin base; ascending process of pelvis well-developed, upper end of pelvis reaching to level of base of fifth pectoral-fin ray; antero-ventral process of ectocoracoid present, right and left ectocoracoids articulating anteriorly with each other; a distinct ridge on cleithrum and ectocoracoid; membranes of dorsal-fin spines almost hyaline; body dark green or dark yellow. Geographic variations in number of dorsal-fin spines, pelvic-fin soft rays, and lateral plates are documented in this species. Gasterosteus wosnesenjenskyi Kessler 1876, Pygosteus steindachneri Jordan & Snyder 1901, and Gasterosteus brevispinosus Otaki 1908 are considered as junior synonyms of P. sinensis.

 

References

  1. Berg, L.S. (1907) A review of the species of the ten‐spined sticklebacks or Pygosteus from East Asia. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 32 (1536), 451–454. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.1536.451
  2. Berg, L.S. (1949) Ryby presnych vod SSSR i sopredelnych stan. Vol. 3 4th Edition. Opredeliteli po faune SSSR, Moskva. Freshwater fishes of the U.S.S.R. and adjacent countries, No. 30, pp. 927–1382. [in Russian]
  3. Bian, S.-L., Zhao, Y.-H., Zhang, J., Zhao, X.-R. & Zhang, C.-G. (2008) Effects of temperature and salinity on the embryonic development of Pungitius sinensis. Acta Zoologica Sinica, 2008 (2), 282–289. [in Chinese]
  4. Bogutsukaya, N.G., Naseka, S.V., Shedko, S.V., Vasil'eva, E.D. & Chereshnev, I.A. (2008) The fishes of the Amur River: updated check‐list and zoogeography. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 19 (4), 301–366.
  5. Chereshnev, I.A. (2002) First record of the Amur ninespined stickleback Pungitius sinensis (Gasterosteidae) on the continental shore of the Sea of Okhotsk. Journal of Ichthyology, 42 (1), 128–130.
  6. Cuvier, G. (1829) Le reÌgne animal distribueì d’apreÌs son organisation, pour servir de base aÌ l’histoire naturelle des animaux et d’introduction aÌ l’anatomie compareìe. Vol. 2. Nouvelle Edition. Déterville, Paris, 406 pp. [in French] https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.49223
  7. d'Annone, J.J. (1760) Experientissimo clarissimoque viro Jo. Henrico Respingero S. P. D. Acta Helvetica. Physico-Mathematico-Anatomico-Botanico-Medica, 4, 301–306. [in Latin]
  8. David, A. (1875) Journal de mon troisieÌme voyage d'exploration dans l'empire Chinois. Hachette et cie, Paris, 383 pp. [in French] https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.118647
  9. Denys, G.P.J., Persat, H., Dettai, A., Geiger, M.F., Freyhof, J. & Keith, P. (2017) Genetic and morphological discrimination of three species of ninespined stickleback Pungitius spp. (Teleostei, Gasterosteidae) in France with validation of Pungitius vulgaris (Mauduyt, 1848). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 56 (1), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzs.12178
  10. Dyldin, Y.V. & Orlov, A.M. (2017) Ichthyofauna of fresh and brackish waters of Sakhalin Island: an annotated list with taxonomic comments: 3. Gadidae–Cryptacanthodidae families. Journal of Ichthyology, 57 (1), 53–58. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0032945217010039
  11. Esmaeili, H.R., Sayyadzadeh, G. & Abbasi, K. (2023) New Morphological and Molecular Data on the Southern Ninespine Stickleback, Pungitius platygaster (Gasterosteidae) from Southern Caspian Sea Basin. Journal of Ichthyology, 63, 1062–1071. [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0032945223060036] https://doi.org/10.1134/S0032945223060036
  12. Guichenot, A. (1869) Notice sur quelques poissons inédits de Madagascar et de la Chine. Nouvelles Archives du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Série 2, 5 (Fasc. 3), 193–206, pls. 12. [in French]
  13. Guo, B.-C., Fang, B.-H., Shikano, T., Momigliano, P., Wang, C., Kravchenko, A. & Merila, J. (2019) A phylogenomic perspective on diversity, hybridization and evolutionary affinities in the stickleback genus Pungitius. Molecular Ecology, 28 (17), 4046–4064. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15204
  14. Houttuyn, M. (1782) Beschryving van eenige Japanese visschen, en andere zee-schepzelen. Verhandelingen der Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen, 20 (2), 311–350. [in Dutch]
  15. Ikeda, K. (1933) The distribution and variation of the Gasterosteidae in Japan. Zoological Magazine, 45, 141–173. [in Japanese]
  16. Ikeda, K. (1935) On the Gasterosteidae in the Kuril Islands. Bulletin of the Biogeographical Society of Japan, 5, 213–232. [in Japanese]
  17. Jordan, D.S. & Snyder, J.O. (1901) List of fishes collected in 1883 and 1885 by Pierre Louis Jouy and preserved in the United States National Museum, with descriptions of six new species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 23 (1235), 739–769. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.23-1235.739
  18. Jordan, D.S. & Starks, E.C. (1905) On a collection of fishes made in Korea, by Pierre Louis Jouy, with descriptions of new species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 28 (1391), 193–212. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.28-1391.193
  19. Keyvany, Y. & Nelson, J.E. (2000) Taxonomic review of the genus Pungitius, ninespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteidae). Cybium, 24 (2), 107–122.
  20. Kessler, K.F. (1859) Systematische Uebersicht der Stachelflosser (Acanthopteri Müller), welche im nordwestlichen Theile des schwarzen Meeres und in den Mündungen der in derselben sich ergiessenden südrussischen Flüsse vorkommen. Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou, 32 (3), 186–268. [in German]
  21. Kessler, K.F. (1876) Ryby. In: Prejeval’skii, N.M. (Ed.), Mongoliya i strana tangutov’, St. Petersburg, 2 (4), pp. 6–9. [in Russian]
  22. Kim, I.-S., Yoon, C.-H. & Lee, J.-H. (1989) Morphological Variation and Karyotype of the Korean Species of Sticklebacks (Pisces, Gasterosteidae) in Korea. The Korean Society of Systematic Zoology, 5 (2), 107–119. [in Korean]
  23. Ko, M.-H. (2016) Distribution status and threatened assessment of endangered species, Pungitius sinensis (Pisces: Gasterosteidae) in Korea. Korean Journal of Ichthyology, 28 (3), 186–191. [in Korean]
  24. Linnaeus, C. (1758) Systema Naturae. Ed. X. Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, diferentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae, ii + 824 pp. [in Latin] https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.542
  25. Machida, Y., Tsuruta, T. & Goto, A. (2022) Strong assortative mating in ninespine stickleback Pungitius tymensis demonstrated in no‐choice mating trials between pairs of three congeneric species. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology, 69 (2), 195–202. [in Japanese] https://doi.org/10.11369/jji.21-028
  26. Mauduyt, F. (1849) Ichthyologie de la Vienne, ou tableau méthodique et descriptif des poissons qui vivent habituellement dans les eaux de ce département ou qui y remontent périodiquement et accidentellement. Bulletin de la Société Académique d’Agriculture, Belles—Lettres, Sciences et Arts, de Poitiers 1848, 3 (Fasc. 9–12), 8–49. [in French]
  27. Matsumoto, T., Matsuura, K. & Hanzawa, N. (2021) A new species of nine‐spined stickleback, Pungitius modestus (Gasterosteiformes, Gasterosteidae), from northern Honshu, Japan. Zootaxa, 5005 (1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5005.1.1
  28. Nikolskii, A.M. (1889) Sakhalin Island and its fauna of vertebarate animals. Supplement to Memoirs of Academy of Science, St. Petersburg, Series 7, 60 (5), 292–305.
  29. Okada, Y. (1961) Studies on the freshwater fishes of Japan. Prefectural University of Mie, Tsu, Xi + pp. 860.
  30. Otaki, K. (1908) Stickle-backs of Japan. Transactions of the Sapporo Natural History Society, 2, 85–91.
  31. Pichugin, M.Y. (2012) On NineSpined Sticklebacks of the Genus Pungitius (Gasterosteiformes) of Lake Bol’shoe (Bol’shoi Shantar Island, Shantar Islands). Journal of Ichthyology, 52, 255–260. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0032945212030046
  32. Pietsch, T., Amaoka, K., Stevenson, D.E., Macdonald, E.L., Urbain, B.K. & Lopez, J.A. (2001) Freshwater Fishes of the Kuril Islands and Adjacent Region. Species Diversity, 6 (2), 133–164. https://doi.org/10.12782/specdiv.6.133
  33. Sabaj, M.H. (2020) Codes for natural history collections in ichthyology and herpetology. Copeia, 108 (2), 593–669. https://doi.org/10.1643/ASIHCODONS2020
  34. Shedko, S.V., Shedko, M.B. & Pietsch, T.W. (2005) Pungitius polyakovi sp. n.––New species of the ninespine stickleback (Gasterosteiformes, Gasterosteidae) from the south‐eastern of the Sakhalin Island. In: Flora and Fauna of Sakhalin Island. Part 2. Dalnauka, Vladivostok, pp. 223–233. [in Russian]
  35. Steindachner, F. (1881) Ichthyologische Beiträge (IX). I. Über eine Sammlung von Flussfischen von Tohizona auf Madagascar. II. Über zwei neue Agonus-Arten aus Californien. III. Über einige Fischarten aus dem nördlichen Japan, gesammelt von Professor Dybowski. Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe, 82 (2), 238–266. [in German]
  36. Stephanidis, A. (1971) Epi merikon ichthyon ton gaukeon tiz Ellados. Biologia Gallo Hellenica, 3, 213–241. [in Greek] https://doi.org/10.1524/hzhz.1971.213.jg.241
  37. Takahashi, H., Takata, K. & Goto, A. (2001) Phylogeography of lateral plate dimorphism in the freshwater type of ninespine sticklebacks, genus Pungitius. Ichthyological Research, 48 (2), 143–154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-001-8129-2
  38. Takahashi, H., Møller, P.R., Shedko, S.V., Ramatulla, T., Joen, S.R., Zhang, C.G., Sideleva, V.G., Takata, K., Sakai, H., Goto, A. & Nishida, M. (2016) Species phylogeny and diversification process of Northeast Asian Pungitius revealed by AFLP and mtDNA markers. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 99, 44–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2016.03.022
  39. Takata, K., Goto, A. & Yamazaki, F. (1987) Biochemical identification of a brackish water type of Pungitius pungitius, and its morphological and ecological features in Hokkaido, Japan. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology, 34 (2), 176–183. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02912412
  40. Tanaka, S. (1915) Ten new species of Japanese fishes. Doubutsugaku Zasshi [Zoological Magazine], 27, 565–568. [in Japanese]
  41. Tanaka, S. (1982) Variations in ninespine sticklebacks, Pungitius pungitius and P. sinensis, in Honshu, Japan. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology, 29, 203–212.
  42. Wang, C., Shikano, T., Persat, H. & Merilä, J. (2015) Mitochondrial phylogeography and cryptic divergence in the stickleback genus Pungitius. Journal of Biogeography, 42 (12), 2334–2348. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12591
  43. Wang, H.-Y. (1984) Fishes of Beijing. Beijing Press, Beijing, 115 pp. [in Chinese]
  44. Wang, Y.-N., Wang, Y., Zhao, Y.-H., Kravchenko, A.Y., Merilä, J. & Guo, B.-C. (2022) Phylogenomics of northeast asian Pungitius sticklebacks. Diversity and Distributions, 28 (12), 2610–2621. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13423
  45. Wang, Y.-N. & Guo, B.-C. (2022) Distribution Status of Pungitius Sticklebacks in China. Chinese Journal of Zoology, 57 (5), 787–798. [in Chinese] https://doi.org/10.13859/j.cjz.202205016
  46. Warpachowski, N.A. & Herzenstein, S.M. (1888) Notizen über die Fischfauna des Amur-Beckens und der angrenzenden Ge biete. Trudy St.Peterburgskogo Obscestva Estestvoispytatelej, 19 (8), 1–58, pls. 1. [in German] https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.16074
  47. Zhou, C.-J., Gu, Q.-H., Meng, X.-L., Li, B.-S., Zhao, W.-W., Pang, X.-B., Zhang, J.-X., Song, D.-G. & Nie, G.-X. (2018) Analysis of new fish record of Pungitius sinensis in Henan Province based on multiple data resource. Sichuan Journal of Zoology, 37 (1), 67–73. [in Chinese] https://doi.org/10.11984/j.issn.1000-7083.20170037

How to Cite

Matsumoto, T., Matsuura, K. & Hanzawa, N. (2025) Redescription of the Chinese ninespine stickleback, Pungitius sinensis (Guichenot 1869) (Gasterosteiformes, Gasterosteidae). Zootaxa, 5728 (1), 144–162. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5728.1.5