1. Small (2-4 inches) pugnacious mostly scaleless spiny-backed fishes of northern fresh and littoral waters having elaborate courtship; subjects of much research
   "Scientists studied the mating rituals of sticklebacks in the shallow pond";
   - prickleback

Derived forms: sticklebacks

Type of: acanthopterygian, spiny-finned fish

Part of: family Gasterosteidae, Gasterosteidae

Encyclopedia: Stickleback