Judge a Fish by its Appearance: How does color and size influence mate selection in guppies (Poecilia reticulata)

Abstract

There are many different factors that influence the courtship behavior of guppies. Specifically, we are focusing on how size and color dictate the male’s attraction to a female. We observed these factors by setting up an experiment that changed the size and color of the three dimensional fish models. During the experiment we recorded the amount of time the male spent around the models in seconds as well as the different courtship behaviors the male demonstrated. Our prediction is that males will prefer the models that are warm in color such as orange or red and are larger in size. We found through experimental data that male guppies do have a preference for warmer colored females but size is not a significant factor.