Shine Bright Like a Diamond: Brighter Colored Mates and Male Poecilia reticulata Mating Patterns

Abstract

Guppies are being studied by The Center for the Study Sexual Selection in Fishes to help close the knowledge gap between mate selection and courtship behavior. This will help us understand sexual preferences of guppies and guppy populations all over the world. We believed that that if we present the guppy with a brighter neon pink colored mate he will choose that mate over a white colored mate because male guppies are generally attracted to brighter colors. We put two fake females with different colors or size and measured how many mating rituals each fake females received. Our hypothesis was unsuccessful and it showed us that it may not be just the color that effects the choice in mate, but also the size.