Making Scents of Mate Selection: Does the Presence of Female Pheromones Affect the Mate Selection of Male Poecilia Reticulata?

Abstract

Investigations of mating strategies in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) can bring more knowledge to the scientific community about the continuation of different species through natural selection. Pheromones are used by female guppies as a method of chemical communication to attract a mate. 3D printed models were used in our lab investigations, and we hypothesized that exposing a model to the female pheromone would increase courtship displays by male guppies. In order to test our hypothesis, ten trials were conducted using five different 38 L aquariums each containing a single male guppy and two orange female guppy models. Prior to each trial, the experimental replicate was pre-treated with water from a live female guppy holding tank. Each trial was conducted for five minutes and male mating behaviors were observed and recorded using the Guppy Data Collector. The data collected shows that the presence of female pheromones does not have a significant effect on male mate selection. Our experiment could lead to future investigations involving the observation of the effect of female guppy pheromones on male mate selection.