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Female guppies Poecilia reticulata prefer males that can learn fast
Author(s) -
Shohet A. J.,
Watt P. J.
Publication year - 2009
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.1095-8649.2009.02366.x
Subject(s) - poecilia , guppy , biology , sexual selection , preference , mate choice , zoology , trait , orange (colour) , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , statistics , fishery , mating , mathematics , computer science , horticulture , programming language
The role of learning ability as a potentially desirable male trait in sexual selection was investigated in the guppy Poecilia reticulata . Mate preference tests and the rate at which a male learnt two mazes were used to determine whether female preference was related to male learning ability. In addition, male body size and saturation of the orange patches were measured. Female preference was found to be related to rate of learning, such that males that learnt the mazes faster were found to be more attractive to females, but was not found to be related to body size or saturation.