Status of the stickleback species pair, Gasterosteus spp., in the Vananda Creek watershed of Texada Island, British Columbia

Abstract

A pair of threespine stickleback species (Gasterosteus spp.) inhabit Balkwill, Emily and Priest Lakes (Vananda Creek watershed) on Texada Island, British Columbia. One species (referred to as "limnetic") is a pelagic zooplankton feeder, and the other (referred to as "benthic") is adapted for feeding on littoral zone benthic invertebrates. Current data suggest that limnetics and benthics are unique biological species and are restricted to this single watershed made up of three lakes.