Orange Male Guppies 2X More Sexually Active Study Finds

Govind Tekale

Scientists crack the code behind male guppy mating success - orange spots predict sexual performance with shocking accuracy

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University of British Columbia researchers bred three generations of guppies to test a decades-old evolutionary mystery

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Orange male guppies performed courtship displays twice as long as their duller counterparts in controlled experiments

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The same neural crest cells that form guppy brains also create their vibrant orange color patterns

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Female guppies consistently choose orange-spotted males, but scientists never knew why until now

Photo Source: Amy E. Deacon, Hideyasu Shimadzu, Maria Dornelas, Indar W. Ramnarine & Anne E. Magurran ( CC BY 4.0)

Bright males attempted sneaky copulation attempts 200% more frequently than dull-colored fish

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Deep learning technology identified seven distinct orange and eight black color combinations in guppy genetics

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Orange pigmentation comes from carotenoids in their diet - males must eat specific foods to achieve peak coloration

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Predators target bright orange males more aggressively, creating an evolutionary survival vs reproduction dilemma

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This genetic link explains how female choice drives male fitness across 32,768 possible color pattern combinations

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The research published in Nature Ecology & Evolution solves why evolution maintains such extreme color diversity

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Your pet guppies carry the same mechanisms - those flashy orange spots signal superior breeding quality

Photo Credit: Mark Turner (CC BY 2.0)

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