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Sexual colouration and sperm traits in guppies
Author(s) -
Pitcher T. E.,
Rodd F. H.,
Rowe L.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2006.01292.x
Subject(s) - biology , sperm , orange (colour) , guppy , poecilia , zoology , sexual selection , female sperm storage , hue , ecology , sperm competition , botany , fishery , horticulture , fish <actinopterygii> , artificial intelligence , computer science
The relationships among the area, hue, saturation and brightness of orange colouration and sperm traits in the guppy Poecilia reticulata were investigated. Males with greater areas of orange colouration had significantly larger sperm loads, more motile sperm and longer sperm relative to males with relatively little orange colouration. Males with greater areas of orange colouration did not possess more viable sperm than males with relatively little orange colouration. There was no evidence that any of the sperm traits were related to the hue, saturation or brightness of the orange colouration. These results are discussed in the context of the roles that direct and indirect selection might play in maintaining female preference for male guppies with large areas of orange colouration.