Does bling get the ring: how color of female guppies attract male mates

Abstract

In this lab report, we investigate if “the Bling gets the Ring.” We know from prior publications that male guppies select mates based off of variable morphology (ie. Size, shape, and color) (source). In this report, we further the research on the guppy (Poecilia reticulate) mating habits by examining if color plays an important role in the male guppies selection of a mate. More importantly, if brightly colored female guppies (ie. Yellow, a common color of guppy food) are more attractive to male guppies. This research is important because it furthers our understanding of the correlation between coloration and selective mating habits of guppies. Our research team tested which color of female guppy (i.e. control: grey, experimental: yellow) a male guppy would find more attractive when all three were in one tank.(see figure #1). The experiment was conducted by placing a single male guppy in a tank with two same sized model guppies that were either green or yellow; this allowed us to observe how the male acts towards each. This research is important to the scientific world to provide readers with insight on guppy mating habits.