Orange is Sexy if You Are a Guppy

[gwand]

Orange is the new aphrodisiac—for guppies

It turns out color isn't just fashionable for guppies: According to a new UBC study, the more orange a male, the more virile it is.

phys.org

 

[Innesfan]

The title buries the lead. We've known for a while that female guppies prefer males displaying the most orange. What's new here is that with this study we now know why.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Guess that's why the mrs. can't stay away from me during huntin' season...

 

[Back in the fold]

Guess that's why the mrs. can't stay away from me during huntin' season...

And you knew that too you sly one . Playing her like a fiddle .

 

[emeraldking]

Yes, it was already known that the color orange in male guppies seemed to attract female guppies. But the more colorful and nicer patterned males are in general preferable to female guppies in comparison to lesser colored and patterned male guppies.
But if we look at several wild guppy populations, the color orange in comparison to other colors, is mostly seen in male wild guppies. Mostly as a spot or splotch on a male's body. So, I am not amazed why even females of breeding forms still have this attraction in males linked to the color orange. But it doesn't only have to do with the brain issue that is mentioned in this article. For it's got also to do with the eye construction in guppies. The colors orange and red are also the colors they (both male and female guppies) they see best.

 

[Back in the fold]

Yes, it was already known that the color orange in male guppies seemed to attract female guppies. But the more colorful and nicer patterned males are in general preferable to female guppies in comparison to lesser colored and patterned male guppies.
But if we look at several wild guppy populations, the color orange in comparison to other colors, is mostly seen in male wild guppies. Mostly as a spot or splotch on a male's body. So, I am not amazed why even females of breeding forms still have this attraction in males linked to the color orange. But it doesn't only have to do with the brain issue that is mentioned in this article. For it's got also to do with the eye construction in guppies. The colors orange and red are also the colors they (both male and female guppies) they see best.

I’m having a little difficulty understanding something here . Why do you say that the females are attracted to the orange color in males when it’s the males who do the chasing ? I don’t recall ever seeing a female guppy in search of a male and her swarm of would be suitors have every color of the rainbow .

 

[emeraldking]

I’m having a little difficulty understanding something here . Why do you say that the females are attracted to the orange color in males when it’s the males who do the chasing ? I don’t recall ever seeing a female guppy in search of a male and her swarm of would be suitors have every color of the rainbow .

Simple... The males may chase the females but a female decides whether she allows a male to mate with her or not. The male that looks the most attractive to her will be the one she allows to mate with. So, the chasing of the males doesn't say anything about an actual copulation. This goes for all ovoviviparous and viviparous livebearers that have a different coloration in both sexes, btw. Females of ovoviviparous livebearer species where both sexes are equally colored, the females will be less choosy. But in that case, dominant males will mostly be the winner over the submissive males to copulate with a female. If we look at viviparous livebearers such as goodeids, it depends on the goodeid species. Goodeid species where both sexes are equally colored, the females won't be that picky. But the goodeid species where males have a trait like a seam on the caudal fin, more color on the body or more sparkled scales, the intensity of the coloration of those traits will do the job in picking a mating partner. With halfbeaks, it will be the intensity of the coloration of one or more fins and/or the mouth of the male that does the trick.

 

[emeraldking]

Btw, about the brain issue... What's not told in the article is that the preference of female guppies in relation to the orange color in males relates only to bigger brained female guppies. Female guppies with a smaller brain don't have this preference. Guppy brains are very small by itself. So, can you imagine how small the brains of the smaller brained females must be...?

 

[gwand]

That is really fascinating. I guess the larger brain includes brain cells that are lacking in the smaller brain females.