Marine Stickleback Research Paper

ic skeleton, which is composed of bilateral pelvic spines, trochlear joints, and a concealed girdle that covers part of the fish’s ventral and lateral anatomy. While marine stickleback retained this defensive structure to protect against soft-mouthed predators, freshwater species have experienced both partial and complete loss of the pelvic skeleton, possibly in response to the predators found in their environment. Since fossil evidence supports recent evolution, researchers crossed a marine female stickleback with a substantial pelvic skeleton and a benthic freshwater male from Paxton Lake who possessed a deficient pelvic structure. A single pair of hybrid parents with complete pelvic structures from the F1generation were then bred, resulting